Can you keep a secret?
by Swing-Your-Razor-High
Summary: Something's up with Ginny and only she and Hermione know what. Ginny is forced to tell Harry, though. How will he react when he finds out? Rated T just in case
1. Chapter 1

A/N: First HP fic, hope u like it. Ginny is my favorite character btw. Don't be afraid to tell me how bad it is, cuz i need to know what to improve on. Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Harry Potter, or anything to do w/ Harry Potter. All those rights belong to JK Rowling

CHAPTER ONE

Ginny stared mournfully out the window of her room, feeling sick and depressed. This feeling had been with her for months now, and nothing seemed to get rid of it. It was her secret that only Hermione knew about, but she could've sworn that her mother suspected something too. She put a hand to her stomach and sighed. Hermione had already gone on and on about it and how she should write and tell him. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to talk to him again. It was just too painful. She glanced over at Hermione, sleeping in her sleeping bag next to the bed. Maybe she should wake her up and ask for some more advice. Ginny got up, walked over to Hermione, and shook her gently.

"Hermione?" she whispered.

"Mm-hm hmmm-hm," came the muffled voice of Hermione from inside the sleeping bag. Ginny took that as a "Yes, I'm awake."

"I need some advice...I-I think I'm gonna write to him." Hermione jumped up out of her sleeping bag with a triumphant grin on her face.

"I knew you would sooner or later. Better hope he hasn't already left the Dursleys' by now!" She reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink. Ginny took them slowly, thought for a few minutes, then dipped the quill in some ink and began to write.

"Not bad, but it was kind of outright, wasn't it?" Hermione asked after reading it over.

"I couldn't think of any other way to tell him," Ginny sighed, tying the letter to a hyper-active Pigwidgeon. "Hold still Pig!" Holding the small, squeaking owl firmly she managed to tie it on. "Take this to Harry on Privet Drive." Pigwidgeon flew out the window and into the night.

"I wonder how Harry'll feel when he finds out," Hermione said.

"Do you think he'll still accept me?" Ginny asked nervously. Hermione put her arm around her friend in a comforting way.

"He'll have to, won't he?" Ginny nodded and looked out into the night sky. That was the question, wasn't it?

A/N: I feel good bout how this story is gonna go, so I really do hope you like it!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry, I didn't tell you when this takes place. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all going into their seventh year and Ginny's going into her sixth year.

DISCLAIMER: Still don't own Harry Potter and probly never will either.

CHAPTER TWO

Harry was lying on his back on his bed, counting down the minutes until he finally left Privet Drive. He was finally 17 and of age in the Wizarding World, meaning he could jinx Dudley or his Aunt and Uncle. But at the moment, he had so much on his mind; Dumbledore's death, the remaining horcruxes, Voldemort, and Ginny.

"Ginny," he said softly. He longed to see her pretty face again, to see her smile. Secretly, he wanted her back, he loved her. However, he knew that if he took her back, Voldemort would find out and take her away. Harry took her birthday gift to him in his hand and smiled at it. It was a small crystal orb with a band of silver around it. Inside was a glittering silver substance that drifted around slowly. Ginny told him it was called an Oracle. It was similar to a Pensieve, only it wasn't used for thoughts, it was used for dreams. If you brought your wand to your head just as you would with a thought and used it to take out an un-wanted dream or nightmare, you then opened the orb and put it in there. Then later, you could take the dream out and look it over if you so-choose to do so. Currently, Harry had put all his dreams about Voldemort in it so that they would stop troubling him. The door opened and Harry's Uncle Vernon stuck his head cautiously in.

"Dinner," he muttered. Seeing the orb, he backed out quickly, thinking that Harry might bewitch him with it. Harry grinned to himself and got up to go downstairs. A scratching at the window made him stop and turn around.

"Quiet, Pig!" he whispered, going to the window to let the under-sized owl in. Pig zoomed around the room for a while, until Harry finally caught him and un-tied the letter. He recognized the handwriting on the letter and realized that it was from Ginny. Tearing it open, he unfolded the letter and read it.

_Dear Harry,_

_Yes, I know you will be arriving here soon, but I had to write and tell you something important. First off, I hope you put the birthday gift I sent you to good use. Now , for the urgent news. Harry, you're going to be a father, and I'm the mother. Please, don't reject me because of this. Know that I still love you and always will._

_Love, _

_Ginny_

_PS: Hermione knows too_

Harry read the letter over again, at least five times. He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

"Oh man." He dropped onto his bed, stunned. How could he have done this to Ginny? He felt terrible for her. After all, she was only 16, and not even his wife. And what would Ron say? She was his sister, and he was very protective of her. And Mr. and Mrs. Weasley might not be too thrilled by this either. It wasn't that Harry didn't love Ginny. No, he loved her more than anything. And now she was pregnant with his child. He had to support her and be there for her. Harry knew that he had to leave for the Burrow right away. Folding the letter up and putting it in his pocket, he began to go around the room and pack up all his things. The door opened again and Uncle Vernon came in.

"Are you going to eat or not?" he asked stiffly. He then saw Harry packing and brightened a bit. "Leaving already?"

"Yep. I just found out I'm gonna be a father, so I better leave right away. I don't know if I'll be coming back either, since I am of age in the Wizarding World." Harry watched his Uncle's confused expression and felt nothing but smug satisfaction.

"A father...at-at your age?" he asked in an astounded tone.

"Yes. So you're going to be a great-uncle. Oh and by the way, if I ever get blown up, I'll be sure not to send my child here. Seventeen years with you was horrible." Harry smirked at his Uncle, picked up his trunk with all his belongings inside, plus Hedwig's cage and his Firebolt, and made his way out of the room.

"Leaving?" Aunt Petunia asked brightly, seeing Harry's trunk. Dudley looked up from his dinner hopefully.

"Yeah. Don't worry, maybe me and my family'll come back for a visit some day." Aunt Petunia's face paled.

"What family?" she asked quietly.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. I'm gonna be a father." Aunt Petunia fainted and Dudley dropped the chicken leg he was holding.

"Father?" he asked hoarsely. Harry transfigured Dudley's chicken into a cockroach. Dudley shrieked and fainted. Satisfied, Harry went outside. He tied his trunk to his broom. Then he took out his Invisibility Cloak and threw it over him and his broom and trunk. He kicked off the ground and made his way to the Burrow.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Wow, thanks for all those reviews! I wasn't expecting so many after just one day! Anyway, yes I know I rush my stories, but there's a reason for that. See, i write these on my IMAC then transfer them to the PC and download them with Microsoft Word onto but the problem is we're borrowing the PC and I dunno when we have to give it back, so I try to get my stories done ASAP. And i'm sorry, i will try to make my chapters longer. Thanks for reading, i appreciate it!

CHAPTER THREE

Harry touched down on the cool, wet grass in front of the Burrow. It was still quite early in the morning and the air was chilly. He took off the invisibility cloak, got off his broom, and began to untie his trunk. The Burrow was dark and quiet. It seemed like everyone was still asleep. Harry tucked Hedwig's cage and his broom under his arm, took his trunk with his free hand, and began to make his way towards the house. To his surprise, Mr. Weasley came out of the house and walked towards him.

"Harry! Good to see you again!" He took Harry's trunk and shook his hand. "Let me help you with your things. Yes, here we are then." Harry followed Mr. Weasley inside, carrying his broom and the cage.

"Harry dear, so lovely that you could come," greeted Mrs. Weasley. She looked a bit thinner and more pale from the last time Harry had seen her, but she was still kind and pleasant. She put a hand to his forehead. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. How's Ginny?"

"Oh, yes, Ron told us that you knew about it already. Don't worry, she'll be alright." Mrs.Weasley nodded at him and began to cook him some breakfast.

"What-?"

"Yes, we know all about it. And don't worry, we're not angry at all with you or her," Mr. Weasley told him.

"But...I thought only Hermione knew about Ginny's condition," Harry said in a confused tone.

"Ginny told Ron, who told us, of course. The whole family knows. And don't go feeling guilty, Harry. After all, I was only eighteen when I had Bill," Mrs. Weasley assured him, putting some bacon and eggs onto his plate.

"Really?" Harry asked, feeling a bit better.

"Yes. Now, you can't marry Ginny right away. You'll have to wait until the end of your seventh year at Hogwarts. After that you can."

"Alright." Harry had almost forgotten that he would have to marry Ginny now. He didn't have a problem with it, though, and was looking forward to it.

"Speaking of weddings, Fleur and Bill's is next week. Oh yes, and Tonks and Lupin were married just last month," Mr. Weasley told him. A bit of orange juice dribbled into Harry's lap.

"Already?" he asked.

"Yes. They wanted to ASAP. These days you can't really wait for things like that." There were footsteps on the stairs, and Bill soon appeared in the kitchen. He looked much better than he had when Harry had last seen him. Most of his scars had healed up a lot too.

"Hello Harry, good to see you," he said in a rather tired voice.

"Hey Bill. How are you?"

"Alright. I guess I could be better though." Bill seemed to be looking at something far away and sad, but then he snapped back to reality, smiled at Harry, and sat down at the table. "Congratulations, by the way. Becoming a father at your age must be a scary thought, huh?" Harry nodded and finished his breakfast. A beautiful young woman with long silver hair and dressed in a white night gown entered the kitchen.

"'Arry! It ees marvolous to see you!" Fleur said happily, kissing Harry on the cheek as a hello. "An congratulations on zat new baby."

"Thank you Fleur. Congratulations on your marriage." Fleur grinned.

"Yes. I am certain zat we shall be happy togezzer." She kissed Bill on the cheek, then sat down next to him.

"Erm...I'm going to go upstairs and see Ron, Hermione, and Ginny," Harry said.

"Alright Harry," Mr. Weasley said, nodding to him. Harry made his way up the stairs to Ginny's room. He had to see her first. He opened the door and went into her room. Hermione was fast asleep in her sleeping bag next to the bed. Ginny was curled up by the window, her head tilted and a book in her lap. Harry smiled and shook her gently.

"Ginny, wake up," he whispered. She stirred a bit and her eyes opened. They rested on Harry and widened.

"Harry, you're here!" Harry took her hand and kissed it.

"Yes. I'm sorry I caused you this trouble. And I'm sorry that I let you go. But I love you Ginny, and I can't let you go." Ginny smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I can't let you go either, Harry James Potter," she whispered in his ear. "I love you too." Harry picked her up in his arms and sat down by the window with her.

"I'm so happy about this, Ginny, I really am." She ran her hand through his jet black hair. Harry kissed her neck and put a hand to her stomach.

"D'you think we'll be good parents?" she asked.

"Of course we will We'll be the greatest parents a child could ever want." For a while they sat together, but then Hermione stiired and began to get up, so they broke apart. Hermione rubbed her eyes and smiled at them.

"Harry, when did you get here?" she asked with a yawn.

"An hour or so ago." Hermione gave Harry a hug.

"I'm glad you're here. Ron's been in a bit of a shock since he found out about Ginny's...condition." Harry sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, we'd better go talk to him. C'mon." The two girls followed Harry out of the room and up to Ron's room.

A/N: I hope this chapter was long enough, cuz on Appleworks it takes up three pages! I'll go right on to the next chapter, and hopefully I'll find time to finish it. And yes, i did see Goblet of Fire and absolutely loved it! Even though they rushed it a bit and cut some parts out, i still enjoyed it very much


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I know, it's been a while. Sorry to keep you all waiting, but I've had to work on other fics as well as this one.

CHAPTER FOUR

"Ron? Oy! Ron!" Harry said loudly, knocking on Ron's door for the third time.

"Please come out, Ron, we need to talk," said Ginny. Hermione pushed them aside in annoyance and banged hard on the door.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY, COME OUT OR I'LL BLAST YOUR DOOR AWAY!" Harry and Ginny looked at Hermione and sweat-dropped.

"Fine," came the tired voice of Ron from behind the door. He opened it and gestured inside.

"Ron," Harry said cautiously, "you're not...angry are you?"

"Of course I am! I mean honestly, something like this is enough to drive one mental!" Ron began to pace back and forward angrily

"But Ron, can't we explain-?" Ginny started.

"How can you explain it? It's been sent and done hasn't it?"

"Now Ron, you should be happy for Harry and Ginny," Hermione said calmly. Ron stopped pacing and gave her a confused look.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" he asked.

"We're talking about your attitude towards my baby," Ginny said in an exasperated tone.

"That's not what I'm talking about!" Ron said angrily "I'm talking 'bout this!" he picked something up off the floor. It was black, and frilly, and looked a lot like women's underwear.

"What the shit is that?" Harry asked, doubling over in laughter.

"It's for Hermione," Ron muttered angrily. Hermione stopped laughing and slapped him.

"You damn pervert!" she yelled.

"I didn't get it for you! Your bloody 'pen pal' Krum sent it, only the ruddy owl sent it to my room instead of yours! This came with it." He threw an envelope to her, which she tore open and read.

"Bloody bitch," she grumbled, crumpling up the paper and tossing it into the waste basket. "Wants me to come and visit wearing that 'dress' as he calls it." Ron looked a lot happier after she said that.

"So, Harry, congrats on the baby. I can't wait til he's grown up enough to play Quidditch." Hermione cast Ron a glare.

"How d'you know it's not a girl?" she asked him.

"Obviously it's going to be a boy, cuz all us Weasleys were boys, cept for Ginny."

"You don't know for sure!"

"Neither do you, Miss Know-It-All!"

"I know a good deal more than you do about babies."

"What's there to know?"

"A lot!"

"ENOUGH! Bloody hell, we can hear you lot from downstairs," said an annoyed voice. Ron's twin brothers Fred and George appeared next to Ron and smirked.

"Maybe you should teach Hermione what you know about babies," George said with a wink at his little brother.

"Yeah Ronny, I'm sure Hermione would love one," said Fred.

"Shut up, you bloody gits!" Ron snarled. Hermione glared at the twins but didn't say anything.

"Harry! Looks like you've already taught Ginny what you know about babies!" laughed Fred.

"Just think, we'll be uncles Fred, and teaching the little bloke all we know." George gave a fake sigh and put his arm around his brother.

"That shouldn't take long," Hermione said in an annoyed tone, "and what if it's a girl?"

"Don't be a stick in the mud, Hermione. If it's a girl we'll still teach her the important things in life," George told Hermione.

"And what are those things, exactly?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, the basics. Like how to prank someone!"

"And how to create the most dreadful potions."

"You two are just speaking nonsense," spat Hermione.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Fred, pointing to the black women's underwear that Ron was holding. Ron muttered a spell and made it vanish.

"Nothin. Let's go eat, I'm starving," Hermione said quickly, changing the subject. She followed Ron and the twins outside and down to the kitchen. Ginny and Harry stayed back.

"I'm glad Ron's not angry with us," Ginny said to Harry, taking his hand as he turned to walk downstairs.

"Me too. Well, is it a boy or a girl?" Harry asked.

"I used a particular potion to find out, and it said..."

A/N: Ahhhh cliff-hanger! Well, I can't decide on the baby's gender, so I'll let you all decide! Please let me know ASAP what you want the baby's gender to be!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry guys, majority wins, and there's a bit of, ahem, action between Harry in Ginny in this chapter, so just warning you

CHAPTER FIVE

"It said that the baby is going to be a girl," Ginny finished. Harry picked her up and spun her around.

"That's wonderful, Ginny!" He gave her a long and passionate kiss, then the two made their way down to dinner.

"HA! Told you, Ron!" Hermione laughed triumphantly after Harry told everyone the baby's gender.

"Oh piss off, Hermione," muttered Ron as his ears turned pink.

"A girl? Well that's not too fun," George said with fake disappointment.

"Have you two thought of a name yet?" asked Mrs. Weasley. Harry and Ginny looked at each other.

"Er..." Harry scratched the back of his neck.

"We can help you with the name!" Fred and George piped up in unison.

"No way!" Ginny said curtly.

"Well, you still have..." Ron began, counting on his fingers. "Say, when did you two...er...well what month did it happen?"

"I dunno...Ginny?" Harry turned to her for help. Ginny thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure, but I think we can expect the baby sometime in March."

"Have you told Percy?" Harry asked.

"We sent him an owl about it. He's not very approving, I'm sure," Mr. Weasley explained.

"Charlie's coming home next week for the wedding, and he already knows too," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Ginny, I 'ave ze dress zat you shall wear at ze wedding," Fleur said to Ginny.

"It's not pink is it?" Ginny asked.

"No, it ees light blue and will match your 'air very well."

"Oh. Thanks Fleur." Harry noticed that the Weasleys were being much kinder to Fleur nowadays, especially Ginny.

"This boulliabasse (did I spell that right?) is really good Fleur," Mr. Weasley complimented, taking a second helping of the French dish.

"Zank-you very much. I baked eet for ze special occasion of ze baby." Fleur gave Harry and Ginny a smile and began a conversation with Bill.

"So what's Tonks going to do about Lupin's problem?" Harry asked Mrs. Weasley, taking a helping of the boulliabasse.

"We're not sure. For now they've been living at near Hogwarts and Remus uses the Shrieking Shack to transform at the full moon," Mrs. Weasley explained.

"I'm sure they'll find some way to live," Bill said. That sad and distant look came over his face again, but he broke out of it as Fleur began to speak again. Harry turned to Ginny to say something, but his jaw dropped as he saw her eating a fourth helping of food.

"Erm...bit hungry there Ginny?" he asked.

"What? I am eating for two now, you know," she told him with a shrug, taking another bite of a biscuit. Harry stifled a laugh. "Hey, she's your child too, so zip it!"

"Oh yeah...what's up with Bill? He looked a bit sad." Ginny was silent. "You alright?"

"Erm...I'm just fine. The baby makes me feel kinda weird sometimes, but I'll get used to it." She spoke rather quickly, which suggested to Harry that she was hiding something.

"Alright Ginny, spill it," Harry said as they got ready for bed that night. Ginny gave him what she hoped was an innocent look.

"Spill what?" she asked.

"You're hiding something, aren't you? I saw the way you looked when I asked you about Bill."

"Oh...nothing to worry about, I'm fine." Harry gave her a sly look.

"Wanna bet?" he asked. He lunged at Ginny playfully and knocked her onto the bed. She struggled under his weight.

"Harry! Remember the baby!" she reminded him. Harry's hands found their way around her waist and he grinned down at her lovingly.

"How could I forget?" Ginny smiled up at him as he leaned down and locked his lips onto hers. "C'mon Ginny, tell me." He looked at her with his pleading emerald eyes. Ginny sighed.

"Alright alright. I'm worried about Bill. He seems really sad nowadays, and I just hope he's ok." Harry brought a hand to Ginny's face and stroked it lovingly.

"He'll be ok. After marrying Fleur, who wouldn't be?" he said. Ginny giggled.

"You're right. Now can you please get off me, I have to brush my teeth."

"Who says I want to get off so quickly?" Harry asked with a mischievious grin.

"If you don't, I'll make you, and it'll be painful," Ginny answered coolly.

"You have no wand, so that means no Bat Bogey Hex."

"Harry, I'm warning you!"

"Do your worst, precious."

"Have it your way then!" Ginny kicked him hard in the kidney. Harry groaned in pain and rolled over and off her. Ginny smirked and got up to brush her teeth.

"You're mean!" Harry said in a pained voice. Ginny began to brush her teeth and shrugged.

"You were asking for it, and you know it."

"That's it, you're in shun time." Harry turned away from Ginny on the bed. "I mean it, Ginerva Molly Weasley!"

"Yeah right, you can't stand being away from me, and you know it." Ginny spat into the sink, washed her mouth out with water, and got into bed next to Harry. "I mean we're not even married, so why would you act like that?" Harry turned over and whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

"Love can change a person." Ginny smiled to herself, kissed Harry good-night, and drifted into a sleep that was interrupted only by the constant nausea that she felt from the child in her womb. A/N: Hope you liked it, and hope that it was long enough. Happy Thanksgiving!

A/N: Sorry if it's short, but don't worry, I'll update soon


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: In this chapter you will find out just how upset the Weasleys are, and you'll get to read about Bill and Fleur's wedding (didn't go into too much depth with it, but gave the basics)

CHAPTER SIX

Harry made his way back to Ginny's room from the bathroom. As he passed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room, he was surprised to see that there was a light on, shining under the door. He could hear voices, and they sounded concerned.

"...he just doesn't know how worried we are," said Mrs. Weasley's voice.

"Neither of them do. We just have to keep up a positive attitude so that they don't worry themselves," Mr. Weasley assured her.

"Maybe we should tell them?"

"No, Molly, we can't lower their spirits. If we worry Ginny, it might affect the baby. And Harry has enough to worry about already, with Voldemort back and all."

"I guess you're right," sighed Mrs. Weasley, "but I this is the second child I've had to worry about, what with Bill's problem and all."

"Bill can handle it, I'm sure. It might not be easy, but he'll get by. Lupin does, after all, and he's got a wife now."

"Still, Arthur, I worry." There was silence for a moment, and Harry was about to leave when Mr. Weasley spoke again.

"They're not kids anymore, we have to learn to let them go sometime," he said.

"Yes, that's true."

"They've got lives to live, Molly, and we can't be the ones to stop them."

"You're right. They aren't children anymore, even Ginny. But I still remember when they were. Remember Bill's first owl from school..." Harry decided it was time to get back to the room now. He quietly made his way back. Ginny was still asleep, so Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He went back to sleep, though his head was swimming with questions.

A week had gone by since Harry's arrival at the Burrow, and not much had happened. Harry kept quiet about the conversation he heard between the Weasley parents, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley still acted cheerfully about the baby. Bill seemed to act cheerful enough, but every now and then he'd get the sad and distant look, only to snap back to reality when someone spoke to him. He was also starting to look paler, even older. The wedding approached and Fleur bustled about, making preparations and sending dozes of owls. Poor Errol was worn out from the constant deliveries and sendings. Finally, the day came.

"Bloody hell, I've never seen so much tension in the house," Ron remarked as he, Harry, Fred, and George all got dressed into their dress robes. Luckily, Ron now had black dress robes (Fred and George claimed that he burned the old ones) and looked loads better than he did at the Yule Ball. Harry's were black too, and he had a black bow tie to go with them (no white bow tie, seeing the one he wore in the movie made me want to tear it off and shove it down Ron's throat :D).

"Not bad," Fred and George said in unison as they examined each other as one would look in the mirror. They were dressed identically in dark blue dress robes.

"Let's go down now," said Harry, adjusting his bow tie a bit. The four boys made their way downstairs. Mrs. Weasley was dressed in lovely red dress robes, obviously picked out by Fleur, and Mr. Weasley wore dark green dress robes.

"Oh don't you all look handsome!" gushed Mrs. Weasley. Ron muttered something and looked down at his feet. "Nonsense, Ron. Now where are the two girls? Ah yes, there they are." Harry whirled around to see Hermione walking into the kitchen, looking very pretty as she had at the Yule Ball, and wearing elegant white dress robes. Ginny followed, looking just as pretty and also wearing white dress robes. Ron's jaw dropped as he stared at the elegant Hermione. Harry smirked, and reached over to shut his mouth for him.

"Lovely, girls, lovely," Mr. Weasley said. "Shall we leave then?" They all followed Mr. Weasley outside, and found a limo waiting. It was driven by a Muggle driver, who was looking around the landscape curiously. "Ah yes, our ride. Good day, Mr.-er-?"

"Mr. Waterson," the man answered, looking up at the house with an awed look. "Weasley, is it?"

"Yes. C'mon children, inside! Don't want to be late!" Clearly Mr. Weasley wanted to leave soon, so as not to raise Mr. Waterson's curiousity about the enchanted house.

"Woah, check this out!" said Fred, clicking the window button down and up continuously.

"I can do it faster," laughed George. The two began a sort of race, which ended soon with a dark look from their mother.

"Fascinating!" gasped Mr. Weasley as he tested the drink maker on the side. "Muggles can be so brilliant!"

"Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley said sharply as the driver turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"Heh," Mr. Weasley said nervously, straightening up in his seat.

"What about Bill, Fleur, and Charlie?" Harry asked.

"They'll be apparating," Mr. Weasley answered quietly so that the driver wouldn't hear him.

"Here we are," said the driver half an hour later as he pulled in front of a church in town. They filed out of the car and went into the church. Mr. Weasley fumbled for a few minutes with the Muggle money, but eventually got the correct amount. The church was grandly built, and a few people were already filed into the rows. Harry spotted Percy sitting near the back. Percy saw him and gave him a dark look, and Harry knew exactly why. Shrugging, he looked around the church for other people that he knew. Professor McGonogall sat in one of the pews next to Professors Sprout, Flitwick, Vector, and Sinistra. Tonks and Lupin sat a few rows in front of the Professors. Tonks looked much better than she had and her hair was red with blonde highlights. Lupin also looked happier than Harry had ever seen him, despite his usual pale and shabbiness.

"Over here, Harry," said Hagrid, who was sitting in a pew near the front. Harry realized that all the Weasleys would be at the front during the wedding, so he took a seat next to his large friend. It wasn't long before the music started and people began to walk down the isle. Ginny came in next to Charlie, walking elegantly and smiling at Harry as she passed. Then came the rest of the family, including Hermione, who walked up arm in arm with a scarlet faced Ron. Once everyone was settled on the altar, Fleur came out. She looked extremely beautiful, wearing a silvery blue wedding dress. Her father walked her up the isle, and as she passed Harry could see the big smile on her face. She took her place next to Bill.

"Today, we are gathered to celebrate the marriage of Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley..." The priest went through all the stuff that needs to be said in a wedding (sorry, I don't have it memorized). Harry began to get bored, but to show respect he kept awake. Hagrid also seemed to be getting tired, and every so often, Harry felt him jerk as though struggling to keep awake. Finally, the ceremony began to wrap up.

"Do you Bill Weasley take this woman to be your wife; in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" asked the priest.

"I do," Bill answered confidently.

"And do you Fleur Delacour take this man to be your husband; in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" the priest asked turning to Fleur.

"I do," she answered.

"Then I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!" Bill did so, and everyone clapped. Fleur and Bill then made their way outside to their limo that would take them back to the Burrow for the reception.

"Alrigh' Harry?" asked Hagrid as they walked outside. "I heard 'bout Ginny, is everythin' ok?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Harry replied, wondering just how many people knew about the baby.

"Harry!" called Lupin as he walked towards him. Harry saw Tonks in deep conversation with Professor McGonagall.

"Hey Lupin. Everything alright?" Harry asked.

"Yeah." Lupin looked over at Tonks and smiled. "I'm getting close to finding some information concerning You-Know-Who," he added with a whisper. Harry nodded and saw Mrs. Weasley waving at him.

"I need to go. See ya!"

"Bye. Take care, Harry," said Lupin as he turned and walked over to his wife. Harry went over to the limo and got in with the rest of the Weasleys and Hermione. Mrs. Weasley was crying, while Mr. Weasley was comforting her.

"I-I'm f-f-fine, j-just s-s-s-so happy," she managed to say.

"Me too. It's nice to have a type of sister in the family," said Ginny. They arrived at the Burrow for the reception half an hour later. It was held outside, and everyone had lots of fun. Fred and George did a Muggle magic routine to amuse the guests, and when it got dark they set off some of their fireworks (I gosh dang can't remember what they called them!). It was late when everyone finally left, and Harry went to bed feeling happy and at peace with the world.

A/N: Sorry I didn't go into more detail with the party, I'm just lazy. Next chapter will be up soon I hope!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: And now for something completely different! Literally. In this chapter I'm putting an idea that I just came up with randomly, so some may like it some may not, but please tell me what you think!

CHAPTER SEVEN

Another week went by since Harry's arrival and still nothing much. Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny played Quidditch a lot (they had to go easy on Ginny though) and they even managed to get Hermione to play too. After a few days of practice she got pretty good, and even managed to score against Ron. She was strangely becoming more and more athletic these days. Even though she had to sleep in Ron's room, she was still more cheerful than she had ever been. Harry tossed and turned that night, quite unable to sleep. Dreams of the remaining horcruxes filled his head, not to mention the horrible new nightmares of Voldemort finding Ginny and the baby. The nightmare went something like this:

"Step aside woman!" hissed Voldemort, pointing his wand at Ginny's chest.

"No! You can't take my baby! Kill me instead!" she pleaded.

"Give me the child you silly girl!"

"NO!" screamed Ginny.

"AVADA KADAVRA!" roared Voldemort. A flash of green light shot out of his wand and hit Ginny directly in the chest. She crumpled to the ground, where she lay motionless. Voldemort laughed a terrible laugh and turned his wand on the baby.

"GINNY!" yelled Harry, jerking upright in bed. He looked beside him in bed, but Ginny was gone. Where was she? "Ginny?" he whispered hoarsely. His answer was a long, mournful howl from outside. It made Harry's blood run cold. He knew that howl. It was the howl of a-

Harry wasted no time. He grabbed his shoes, put them on hurriedly, and ran outside. The night was surprisingly cool for summer and there was a full moon. He heard another howl and ran in the direction it was coming from. As he climbed over the hill, he saw two large shapes. One was tall and gray, bent over something large that lay on the ground. Harry moved forward, but stepped on a stick. The tall creature spun around and looked right at him. It was a werewolf.

"Nice doggy," Harry whispered hoarsely as the creature advanced toward him. As it got closer, he could see that there was blood and bits of fur around it's mouth and on its fangs. Looking around the creature, Harry saw that it had been eating a cow. The werewolf raised a paw that had blood dripping from the claws, and was about to strike, but something white jumped into its path. It was a dog, or it looked like it, and it stood in front of Harry, growling gently at the werewolf as though trying to reason with it. To Harry's surprise, the werewolf growled back, and turned back to the cow to finish devouring it. The white dog turned around to face Harry, and he was startled to see that it was not a dog but a wolf with light brown eyes. It nudged Harry in the stomach, causing him to stumble backwards. He understood that it wanted him to go back to the house, so he did. The wolf followed him, and once they reached the back of the Burrow, it began to transform. Harry gasped as Ginny slowly formed before him.

"Hi Harry," she said quietly, "I guess I've got some explaining to do, huh?"

"Well yeah! What the hell is going on here?" Harry asked incredulously. Ginny sighed.

"You might want to sit down for this," she told him, gesturing to an empty garden chair. Harry sat down, and looked up at her expectantly.

"I'm ready."

"Ok. You know that Bill was bitten by Fenrir Greyback during his fight with him, right? And Greyback was just transforming as he bit him?"

"You mean...?"

"Yes. That werewolf eating the cow is Bill," Ginny said painfully. "But he doesn't have the full qualities of a werewolf, since Greyback was just then transforming. So Bill can sometimes catch himself when he's doing something. He's still dangerous all the same, though. So I did something to help him. I remembered Lupin telling us that his friends all became Animagi to bring him company, and he never hurt them in werewolf form. With that in mind, I began research on how to become one. I know it takes years to do, but a book I found showed how to do it in a matter of months using extremely advanced magic. I managed to accomplish it, so now I can transform into a white wolf. And when Bill transforms I can be there for him and keep him from harming anyone." Ginny sat down and put her face in her hands.

"Advanced magic? Ginny, that's beyond you, years beyond you in fact, how could you even manage it?" Harry asked incredulously.

"I had to do something for Bill. Even if it's illegal, dangerous, and hard, I had to do it. And now I can help my brother, which is what I aimed to do. My life is such a mess right now." Tears began to stream down her face, and she cradled her head in her hands. Harry went over to her and put a comforting arm around her.

"You did the right thing, Ginny. I'm sure of it." Ginny nodded, but continued to cry. She put a hand to her swollen stomach and sighed.

"I always wonder if anything I do is the right thing." Harry took her hand and kissed it.

"Everyone wonders that Ginny, but it only becomes clear in the end. And whatever wrong it brings, we'll just have to cope with it." Ginny rested her head on Harry's chest. He put his arms around her and rocked her gently. "Stay strong, Ginny. We will get through this."

"I want to believe you, but these days I find it extremely hard," she choked.

"That's why I'm here for you Ginny. We're all here for you. Your family, Hermione, the teachers...even Dumbledore is with you."

"But Harry, Dumbledore's-"

"Dead, I know. But Sirius once told me that the ones we love never truly leave us. They're still with us in here," he put a hand over Ginny's heart. "Sirius is still with us, my parents are still with us. Therefore I see no reason why Dumbledore shouldn't still be with us. They're giving you hope for the future."

"I know," sighed Ginny, "but my hope for the future is almost gone." He kissed her gently on the cheek.

"Then I'll just have to have enough for the both of us then, won't I?" he asked. Ginny smiled through her tears and hugged him.

"Thanks, Harry. You've made me feel loads better." There was another howl and she stood up quickly. "I'd better go. Please don't tell anyone about this. No one knows about it, not even Hermione."

"Of course I won't tell, you have my word," Harry assured her. Giving her one last kiss, he then retreated back into the house. He went to bed again and managed to fall asleep, but of course, new nightmares now plagued his mind that night. These nightmares went like this:

Ginny was in the court where Harry had been tried, sitting in the chair with chains on it and looking terrified. Rufus Scrimgeour stood up and spoke.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley?" he bellowed. Ginny stood up nervously. Mrs. Weasley sobbed in the corner, while Mr. Weasley hugged her and tried to comfort her. Professor McGonagall put a hand on Ginny's shoulder and nodded kindly at her. "You stand before this court under the testimony that you are an unregistered Animagus. Come forward so that we may prove this right or wrong." Ginny shakily stepped forward and a wizard pointed his wand at her.

"Transhio!" he yelled. Ginny began to change into the white wolf as the court room gasped. "Retenshio!" the wizard yelled again, and she changed back to her frightened human form.

"Explain yourself, Miss Weasley," Scrimgeour said coldly. Ginny opened her mouth, but closed it again. She looked as though life had just been drained from her, and for a moment seemed like she would faint. "Well?" Another few minutes of silence. Then Ginny managed to choke out a few words.

"I won't lie. I am guilty." The court room began to chatter and there were a few gasps. Then it all faded from view and Harry woke up drenched in cold sweat. He wiped some sweat off his forehead and looked sadly outside at the full moon.

"I won't let anything happen to you Ginny," he said quietly, "I promise." Then his mind switched to the four remaining horcruxes. Obviously he'd have to set off from Hogwarts to find them, but could he risk leaving Ginny and the baby? Well, Hogwarts was, after all, one of the safest places he could leave them, but still...

He sighed and turned over in bed. Life could be so complicated, but as he had said to Ginny earlier that night they would just have to cope with it. Harry heard a loud snore from Ron's room down the hall and smiled. To get his mind off Voldemort and horcruxes, he chose to remember Ron and Hermione's argument earlier.

FLASHBACK

"How was I suppose to know you were getting dressed when I opened the door!" Ron yelled angrily at Hermione.

"There's a little thing called "knocking", Ronald Bilius!" Hermione shouted back fiercely.

"It's my bloody room!"

"As long as I'm here it's mine too!"

"What are you laughing at Harry!" Ron spat angrily as he spotted Harry doubling over in laughter.

"N-nothing," Harry said through his uncontrollable laughter. Hermione fumed and stomped into the bathroom, shutting the door rather hard.

"Mental, she is. I swear, I can't stand this anymore!" Ron complained to Harry. Harry finally managed to stop laughing and put a hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Why don't you just ask her out, mate? You've liked each other for years, and this is just getting sad."

"Bloody hell, Harry, I couldn't do that!" Ron said, his face beginning to turn scarlet. Harry smiled at him.

"Do it soon mate, before Vicky does." That definitely hit a nerve, and Ron spun around and skulked back into his room.

END OF FLASHBACK

Harry chuckled to himself as he remembered all Ron and Hermione's arguments. He had known that they both had a thing for each other for ages, and was hoping that one of them would make a move soon. For now, their arguments were amusing to Harry. With his mind off all the terrible things he had been thinking about for months, he finally managed to fall into a rather peaceful sleep.

A/N: Sorry if you're getting frustrated with my short chapters, but I honestly can't help it. My computer says that this is 5 pages long, but I'm sure on it's shorter. Anyway, I hope you liked my Animagus idea, and I know that it can't possibly take a few months to become one, but that's why this is a fanfic, isn't it? Feel free to complain all you want


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Ginny sat on her bed, her hand on her stomach. She sighed and looked out the window. It was dark, at least ten at night, and tomorrow they'd be leaving for Hogwarts. For the first time in her life, she wasn't looking forward to going back to school. What if the baby was born during school? What if someone noticed? What if Harry came in right now? Oh, he did just come in. Never mind.

"Excited for tomorrow?" he asked as he dried his hair off with a towel. Obviously he had just gotten out of the shower.

"Not really," she answered. Harry sat down on the bed next to her.

"Is it the baby?"

"Yeah."

"You're worried about what other people are going to think, aren't you?" Ginny nodded and looked back out the window. "Don't worry Ginny, the robes will conceal it for quite some time. And I'm sure most of the teachers will support you."

"Harry, I'm only 16! I don't want people to think I'm a-a-" Ginny searched for the right word, but no such luck. Harry put a comforting arm around her.

"What d'you think they'll say about me when they find out I'm the dad?" he asked. "Don't worry, they won't find out, and if they do say anything...well let's just say I know quite a few good hexes." Ginny smiled at him. Harry kissed her forehead, then got into bed. She followed suit. "Sleep tight, we've got a long day tomorrow." He reached over and turned off the light, then the two fell into a long sleep.

"FRED, GEORGE HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU! WE DON'T GIVE THOSE TO THE CAT!" was what Harry woke up to the next morning. He saw Ginny already up and dressed for the day, brushing her long red hair. She looked, to Harry, extremely hot today. He grinned, got up, then sneaked up behind her and grabbed her waist.

"Hi Harry," she said, not even jumping a bit.

"Hey," he grumbled, angry that his trick hadn't worked. "What's your mum yelling about?"

"I think Fred and George fed a Puking Pastille to Crookshanks. Those dumb asses." She finished brushing her hair and set the brush down on her dresser. Then she turned around and looked at Harry. "I think getting aboard the Hogwarts Express wearing Quidditch boxers might raise a few eyebrows," she remarked. Harry remembered that he had just gotten up, blushed, and went to go change.

"HERMIONE IS OF AGE NOW, I HOPE SHE KNOWS SOME GOOD HEXES, BECAUSE SHE HAS MY PERMISSION TO USE THEM ON YOU!" came another yell from downstairs. Ginny and Harry made their way downstairs. Crookshanks was in a corner vomiting while Hermione desperately tried to stick the purple end of the Pastille into his mouth. The twins appeared to be glued up on the wall, obviously with some charm, and Mrs. Weasley was making breakfast, occasionally glaring daggers at the twins. Fred and George appeared to be pleased with themselves, and were playing cards carelessly, a pile bewitched to float in front of them.

"Hiya Harry," George said brightly, glancing up from his cards.

"Sleep well?" asked Fred.

"Don't talk! You're in time-out!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. The twins grinned and continued their game.

"Got any threes?"

"Damnit! I was saving those!"

"Too bad."

"Got any...ones?"

"You git, you looked at my cards!"

"Tough luck, you looked at mine!" Mrs. Weasley gave them another cold look and returned to making breakfast. Harry saw Bill sitting at the table, looking rather pale, but laughing to himself because of the twins. He saw Harry and his grin faded to seriousness.

"Harry, can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked. Harry nodded and followed him into the next room. Bill closed the door so that his mother wouldn't hear and took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry that you know." Harry looked perplexed at this. "About my….problem."

"Oh yeah." There was an awkward silence, and Bill scratched the back of his neck.

"I didn't mean to try and kill you that night. Hell, if it weren't for Ginny I might've. But it's hard to control yourself when you're a werewolf."

"Ginny told you then, huh?"

"Yeah. I came to my senses when she stopped me. See, when I'm a werewolf, I only half know what's going on. It's like a dream, one I can't control, only if I try hard enough to wake up."

"Do you two want breakfast?" asked Mrs. Weasley from the next room.

"Yeah, mum, we're coming!" Bill answered. He turned back to Harry. "If you want, you could learn to be an Animagus too. I know it's illegal, but you never know when it might come in handy these days." He grinned at Harry, then gestured for him to go back into the kitchen. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Charlie, Mr. Weasley, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley were all seated at the table. It looked like Hermione had stopped Crookshanks' technicolor yawn, but she still looked as angry as Mrs. Weasley, and every so often gave the twins a hateful glare.

"Couldn't you have come up with a better punishment for those two, Hermione?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Well, yes, but I guess I didn't want to hurt them too much."

"Awww thanks 'Mione," George said, wiping away an imaginary tear.

"Yeah, that means a lot," Fred told her in a dramatic tone.

"Oh stuff it. I know a spell for next time that can turn you both into ferrets. Then you can see what it feels like to be an amazing bouncing ferret." This shut the twins up, and they suddenly became quite interested in their bacon. The rest of breakfast was finished, and it was soon time to leave.

"Have a good term," Bill said, giving Harry a reminding look of his suggestion.

"Stay out of trouble," said Charlie with a grin.

"Give the school hell for us," George said. Fred laughed, and when his mother wasn't looking, slipped a bag containing a bunch of their joke shop products into Harry's hand.

"A little fun never hurt," Fred whispered, and he and his twin grinned maliciously. Harry hid the bag behind his back as Mrs. Weasley turned around.

"Thanks," he said under his breath, and put the bag into his trunk.

"Time to leave, the Ministry cars that I managed to get are here," Mr. Weasley told them. They all followed him outside and got into the two cars waiting for them. Once all inside, the cars drove off through the field, at a surprisingly fast rate. If they hadn't been wearing their seatbelts then they all would have been thrown around the car. Harry was strongly reminded of the Knight Bus because none of the Muggles seemed to see a car speeding around to the train station. After ten minutes of violent bumps and rough turns, they arrived at Kings Cross. Ron looked sick.

"Uggghhhh...never again...," he said weakly. They all piled out of the car, got their belongings out of the trunk, and went towards the barrier. Once nobody was looking, they ran through the barrier in twos. Harry and Ginny were the last two. When they got through, they caught up with the others. They were already boarding the train, and Mr. Weasley was waving to them.

"Have a good time! And please, try not to cause trouble." Ginny gave her father one last hug, then got on the train. Harry shook Mr. Weasley's hand and thanked him for letting him stay and for taking them. "Take care of her, she'll need you more than ever soon," he added in a quiet voice.

"Don't worry, I will," Harry assured him. Mr. Weasley grinned and nodded at him, then turned back to the barrier.

"Over here, Harry!" Ginny called "I found a compartment." Harry made his way down to her. He entered the compartment and saw that Luna and Neville were there too.

"Oh, hello Harry," Luna said dreamily, looking up from her Quibbler magazine.

"Hi Harry, how was your summer?" asked Neville cheerfully.

"It was good. And your's?"

"Brilliant. Gran took me to this Herbology convention in Romania. I learned loads! Wait till I tell Professor Sprout." He showed Harry a brochure that contained all sorts of information about the exhibit and all the plants.

"How was your summer, Luna?" Harry asked, managing to switch the subject off the Mimbulus Mimbletonias in South Africa.

"Not bad," she said, looking off into space as usual.

"You've been awful quiet Ginny, everything alright?" Neville asked with a concerned look at her.

"Oh, I'm fine," she said. Neville didn't pursue the matter, and began to tell Luna all about the properties of the Nine-Clawed Snaper (I made this up) of Bulgaria. Luna, to no one's surprise, began to tell Neville about a plant in Australia that could swallow a lion whole. They continued this conversation all morning, until the food trolley came around and they bought some candy.

"Here, this'll make you feel better," Harry said, tossing Ginny a chocolate frog.

"How will it make me feel better?" she asked.

"I dunno, but Lupin always gave me chocolate after a dementor attack, so I figured it might help you too."

"I have a feeling chocolate won't help the baby," she said, forgetting that Luna and Neville were sitting right there.

"Baby?" Neville asked, looking confused. "What baby?" Harry and Ginny looked nervously at one another, but they didn't need to answer.

"Ginny's pregnant, aren't you?" Luna asked. Ginny turned red, but nodded. "I knew it. Your stomach looked a bit bigger, and you kept putting your hand on it." Neville gaped.

"Is this...is...joking?" he asked, looking puzzled.

"No joke," said Ginny.

"Who the father?" asked Luna.

"You're looking at him," Harry said with a sigh.

"Harry!" Neville asked. Luna opened her mouth to speak, but at that moment Hermione and Ron burst in.

"Guess who's back!" Ron said as soon as he got in.

"Hi Ron," said Harry.

"Who's back?" asked Ginny.

"Malfoy! After what that slimy git did, you'd think they wouldn't let him back!" Ron grabbed a chocolate frog and stuffed it in his mouth. "I'm starving, damn kids don't know how to behave."

"Why do you reckon they let him back to Hogwarts?" asked Neville.

"I heard him bragging that he told the Ministry he was acting under the Imperius curse. Bull shit if you ask me." Ron took another frog and crammed that one into his mouth too.

"Well, I think it's on Volde-You-Know-Who's orders. Maybe he's like Snape and just pretending to come to the good side so that he can spy," Harry said thoughfully.

"That could be true. Well, we'll just have to keep a close watch on him," said Hermione in a serious tone. The compartment was silent for a while, except for Pig's shrill hooting every now and then.

"So...what are you going to name your baby?" asked Luna, breaking the silence. Hermione's mouth opened but Ginny spoke hastily.

"They found out," she said.

"I think it's wonderful news," said Neville, "but isn't it a bit early for you two?"

"Yeah, but I guess those things just happen," Harry answered with a shrug.

"Boy or girl?" asked Luna.

"Girl. And we haven't decided on a name yet," Ginny told Luna.

"How about Ravetenulivianasibazulika?" Luna suggested. Everyone stared at her.

"Bless you?" said Ron.

"It's the name of the first woman to discover the Krumple-Horned Snorkack," she replied in a serious tone.

"How 'bout a name we can actually pronounce," said Harry.

"Lily? After your mother?" Hermione suggested.

"Veronica?" was Neville's suggestion.

"Rowena? After the founder of Ravenclaw?"

"Marie?"

"Cassandra?"

"Elizabeth?"

"Molly?"

"OK!" said Harry loudly. "I'll start looking up names." For the remainder of their journey they talked happily and played a few rounds of Exploding Snap. When the castle came into view they all got up and got dressed into their Hogwarts robes. As the train pulled into Hogsmeade station, they all got off the bus. Ginny grabbed Harry's hand nervously.

"Do you think I'll be ok?" she asked quietly.

"Of course. Trust me Ginny, we'll be fine." Ginny smiled gratefully at him, and together they made their way to the carriages that would take them to the castle.

A/N: I dunno about you, but this was pretty long (7 pages on this computer). I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, and hopefully it won't be very short. And thanks once again for all the reviews, cuz I do read them all and take the advice that you give me, which can be a really big help :-) Also, I need name suggestions for the baby!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry it's been a while, I've been busy with the play, homework, and other fanfics. Please enjoy!

DISCLAIMER- I am not J.K. Rowling, therefore I don't own Harry Potter. The Wizarding World is her creation only!

CHAPTER NINE

They arrived in the Great Hall without any hassle. Harry and Ginny spotted Ron and Hermione and sat down next to them at the Gryffindor table.

"Well, looks like our new Headmistress is McGonagall," Ron remarked as they ate, seeing Professor McGonagall in the spot where Dumbledore usually sat. A pang of sadness struck Harry, knowing that Dumbledore would never return to that spot. To get that thought out of his head, he let his eyes wander along the staff table, looking for new faces.

"Hey, we've got three new teachers!" Harry exclaimed, nudging Ron and pointing.

"Let's see...they'll be teaching Transfiguration, Potions, and, of course, Defense Against the Dark Arts," Hermione explained, counting them off on her fingers. Harry studied the new teachers carefully. The one furthest to the right was a completely bald man with a thin black mustache and dark eyes. The next one, who was talking to Professor Vector, was a middle-aged Japanese woman with a hard face and black hair tied back in tight bun with chopsticks in it. The last one was the one that kept Harry's gaze. It was a young woman about twenty years old with long bluish white hair and fair white skin. She was dressed in a light blue dress that almost fell off her shoulders. Harry couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was.

"Harry...you don't think that last one...is a veela?" Ron asked, staring at the young woman.

"Of course she isn't, not every one is staring at her," Ginny remarked. After everyone had finished eating, Professor McGonagall stood up.

"Welcome back to all the old, and to all the new welcome! Now, I have a few announcements to make," she said once all the chattering stopped. "First off, let us welcome three new teachers this year. First off, please welcome Professor Kahn who will be teaching Potions." Everyone clapped and the bald man stood up, nodded, and sat back down. "Next, there's Professor Chang, who will be the new Transfiguration teacher." The Japanese woman stood up, and it occurred to Harry that she must be Cho's mother. "And last but not least, Professor Lupe will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts." As she stood up, Ron leaned forward towards Harry.

"I'm definetely gonna enjoy that class this year," he said. Harry chuckled to himself, then turned back to Professor McGonagall.

"To all those who don't know, the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden to everyone. Also, the usual list of items Mr. Filch does not tolerate you playing with can be found over by the message board. That is all." Everyone began to leave the Great Hall and go back to their dormitories.

"She didn't mention Dumbledore, I noticed," said Hermione as they entered the common room.

"Probly too painful," said Harry.

"I wonder if the new teachers are any good," Ginny said, changing the subject quickly.

"Well, we'll find out tomorrow, won't we?" said Ron. Yep, they would find out tomorrow.

As soon as History of Magic was out, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, wondering what Professor Lupe would be like.

"I hope she's nice," said Hermione, "and that she teaches us something interesting." They made their way into the classroom and picked a desk at the front of the room. Professor Lupe was standing behind her desk, reading something. They were shocked to see her dressed in a rather cool way. Her clothes consisted of jeans and a white halter top with a blue sash around her waist. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail, save for two strands of it that hung down on each side of her head. She looked up at them and smiled.

"Hey, ready for class guys?" she asked. Harry was shocked that she was so un-formal. She acted just like a teenager would.

"Yes. What will we be learning about?" asked Hermione as more people entered the classroom. Professor Lupe gestured to a cage behind her. Hermione gasped, as did many other girls. Inside it was what appeared to be a grey wolf cub, save for it's unusual paws. The paws were pale green and webbed and the claws were rather large. As a matter of fact, the paws reminded Harry of fish fins. The cub growled softly and began to gnaw on the bars.

"Uhh...Professor...what exactly is that?" Harry asked.

"It's called a Narmolingwe. Very interesting creatures, Narmolingwes. Anyone here know why?" Professor Lupe asked, looking around.

"Because it can survive on both land and under water," said Hermione. "A Narmolingwe can grow to about the size of a horse and feeds on mostly everything...even humans." The class recoiled, but Professor Lupe held up her hand.

"Not to worry, this one's just a pup. Ten points to Gryffindor by the way. Now, this creature is quite useful too. The saliva of one can cure a head ache and the fur is a valuable material used in blankets because it never loses its warmth. Also, the fang of a Narmolingwe is a rare ingredient in a few potions. These creatures can be loyal to humans, only if you know how to deal properly with them." Professor Lupe bent down and opened the cage. The pup jumped out and sniffed its surroundings.

"Professor..." Ron said nervously as the pup began to sniff his shoes. Professor Lupe just laughed and held out her hand to the pup. It immediately began to growl at her, as though warning her to keep away. Professor Lupe, however, was unnerved.

"Watch closely, this is how you deal with them," she said, and everyone watched. The room grew tense as Lupe's hand got closer and closer. Finally, the inevitable happened and the pup sank its teeth into her hand. The entire class gasped and Lavender fainted, but Lupe merely winced a little. Blood began to leak out from the wound, and the pup held its grip. After a few minutes, there was more gasping as the pup released her hand and began to lick the wound. "See?" Lupe told them, smiling at the pup.

"How...?" Harry was at loss for words. Everyone else seemed just as confused.

"Why are we learning about that?" Draco Malfoy asked with a disgusted look. Lupe picked up the pup and stood up to face him.

"Because it's important to know," she said sternly. "Surely you, Malfoy, know that Lord Voldemort will be using these creatures soon enough?" The class winced at the name, and Malfoy scowled at Lupe but didn't say anything. "Now, you're all probly wondering why I let her bite me. Well, when Narmolingwes are pups in order to gain their trust you must show them that you won't hurt them by letting them hurt you instead. From this they'll learn that you are kind to them, then they'll also allow you to pet them and hold them. You see, class, the taste of blood...well it usually calms them down." The class went dead silent. Professor Lupe smiled and put the pup into Hermione's arms. Hermione looked petrified, as though she were holding a bunch of nuclear weapons, bound to go off at any moment.

"Will it-er-bite?" Harry asked. Professor Lupe shook her head, so Harry bravely reached out a hand to pet the Narmolingwe. To his surprise, it nuzzled his hand and licked it, just like a normal dog would. The class breathed a sigh of relief, and crowded around the pup, all except the Slytherins of course.

"It's so warm and cute!" gushed Parvati as she scratched the pup's ears.

"Yeah, kinda hard to believe that this little thing could tear you to shreds when she's older," said Ron, clearly staying as far away from the pup as possible. The class ended and everyone began to leave.

"No homework," announced Professor Lupe, "and Harry, I want to talk to you." Harry nodded at Ron and Hermione to go to Herbology without him and went over to Lupe's desk. "Wotcher, Harry," Lupe said as soon as everyone was gone. Harry's mouth fell open.

"Tonks!"

"Yep, surprise surprise," she said grinning.

"Why-?" Harry couldn't speak because he was so shocked.

"I wanted to. McGonagall wanted an Auror at Hogwarts disguised as a teacher, so I figured why not?"

"Well...it's good to see you again," Harry finally managed to say after a while. "How's Lupin?"

"We're doing good, despite Lupin's problem. He was sad to see me go, but it was for the sake of everyone here. Anyway, you better get to class. Oh, and it's best that you don't tell anyone but Ron, Hermione, and Ginny 'bout me, ok?"

"Alright, see ya Ton-I mean Professor Lupe." Harry sped down to the greenhouses, anxious to tell Ron and Hermione about what he just learned.

A/N: Short, I know I know, but I had to get this chapter up. Anyway, please be patient for the next one!


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Then next few months went by rather well. Ginny's stomach was getting bigger by the day, but she managed to conceal it with a charm. The staff at Hogwarts knew about the baby, and would often give Ginny encouragement after her classes. Also, Quidditch season was starting up, and, to everyone's surprise, Hermione was trying out.

"You're mental!" said Ron incredulously as she strapped on Quidditch gear. "Do you even know all the rules of the game?"

"Of course I do, I played over the summer and read books about it and everything," Hermione snapped as she tied her bushy hair up in a ponytail.

"Reading books and scrimaging is one thing, but playing?"

"Shut up Ron, I didn't saying anything when you tried out for the team," she said with a scowl. Ron's mouth opened, but closed again as Hermione shouldered her broom and walked onto the pitch for Chaser tryouts.

"You're not going to put her on the team, are you?" Ron asked Harry.

"We need a chaser. If she's good then yeah, I will," he answered.

"C'mon, let's go watch," Ginny said, tugging on Ron's robes. Ron followed his sister to the stands while Harry made his way out to the pitch. About a dozen or more Gryffindors, including Hermione, were standing out on the field.

"Alright...well, let's see what you all can do," Harry said to them all. "Ron, get down here, I need you to keep!" Ron exhaled loudly to show his displeasure, but went down anyway. For then next hour and a half, Harry watched and took note of each player's abilities. When Hermione was up, she flew superbly and managed to score ten out of ten goals against Ron. Harry smiled despite his surprise, and knew that he had found a Chaser. Ron looked like someone had hit him with a stunning charm when he found out, and babbled about it all the way to the common room.

"Mental...Hermione on team...not right...strange...couldn't have..." It wasn't until Ginny gave him a good wack in the face did he finally shut up.

"So since when did you get so good?" Harry asked Hermione.

"For a while now. I've been sneaking out at night over the past few years to practice," Hermione explained, blushing a bit. "Plus I've read loads about the sport and moves and things."

"Sure, it's one thing to read and practice, but what about actually playing a game with people watching you?" said Ron, switching tactics.

"Piss off Ron, you just don't want to admit that she's better than you," Ginny snapped irritably. Hermione turned an even darker red and Ron's face too began to turn pink. "I'm going to bed before I bite off someone's head. This baby is giving me mood swings like crazy." She kissed Harry goodnight, then drifted off to the girls' dormitory.

Hermione indeed turned out to be a very good player. She helped Gryffindor win three games in a row and even managed to raise the interest of a few boys. Ron scowled every time a boy would come up to Hermione and ask her out. Hermione turned them all down, reasons were her own (but we all know why :D). Also, seventh year students started up their N.E.W.T.s which caused quite a lot of tension and frustration. Ginny too became more and more irritating, seeing as the baby gave her rapid mood swings. Another problem arose too. Her stomach was beginning to show, even with robes on. Unfortunately, Malfoy noticed.

"Well well, the little blood-traitor is going to have a baby. I wonder who the daddy is," Malfoy remarked as he, Crabbe, and Goyle cornered her in the hall one day.

"You'd best let me pass you bitch," Ginny snarled. Malfoy smirked, tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes.

"You know, if you weren't such a blood traitor, I might consider going out with you," he said softly so that only Ginny could hear. Ginny sank her teeth hard into his hand and walked off angrily, leaving Malfoy standing there, howling in pain. "I'll get you for that, you little slut! Mark my words!" Unfortunately for Ginny he was correct, and by dinner time practically the whole school knew about Ginny's condition. Some made fun of her, some crowded around her, asking who the father was. But there were also those who felt sympathetic, and gave her words of encouragement as they passed her.

"Who told everyone?" McGonagall asked as Ginny sat in a chair in the Headmistress' office, sobbing.

"M-Malfoy d-d-did," she choked. McGonagall bristled with anger.

"Well I assure you that he will receive detention and a good telling off," she said stiffly, "in the mean time you'd better get back to your dormitory. And if anyone dares to make fun of you, be sure to tell me right away." Ginny nodded at her, then got up and made her way back to the Gryffindor common room.

Harry struggled through many books that night. He was looking up hexes, charms, prophecies, and any information that might help him find the remaining horcruxes. His eyelids became heavy with sleep, but he kept going.

"I need to find the locket, and the cup. But what could the two remaining horcruxes be?" Harry poured over ideas in his head. "R B," he murmured, reading over the note that had come with the fake horcrux for the millionth time. Long had he wondered who this was. He poured through book after book, searching for someone with those initials. Suddenly, it struck him in the head like a hammer. "REGULUS BLACK!" he cried out, causing Ron to wake up, startled.

"Wuddiz it?" he asked sleepily.

"Nothing," Harry answered, "go back to bed." Ron did so, and it wasn't long before Harry heard his loud snores. It has to be Regulus Black...but he's been dead for years...unless...Yes! It must be somewhere in 12 Grimmauld place. And maybe another horcrux will be there...but what is it? "There's got to be some way of finding it...there just has to be..." Harry massaged his forehead with his knuckles in deep thought. Soon his head began to nod onto his chest and sleep over took him.

Harry was walking through what looked like the ashen remains of a house. Other houses surrounded it, but yet it seemed as though no one had bothered to clean up the ruins, or build a house over the empty lot.

Harry knew that something crucial was lying among the remains, something he knew he had to find. But where was it? He began to dig through a certain spot, positive that it was there. Yes! A small trap door. A lock held it tight, sealed with strong magic. Harry knew the spell to open it...

"Harry! Harry wake up!" Harry opened his eyes and looked over at the person shaking him. Ron looked back at him with a worried expression. "Alright, Harry?"

"Yeah...Ron, I know where to find some horcruxes," Harry told him. Ron's eyes widened.

"You serious?"

"I am...I mean...I think so...I saw it in a dream." Harry got up and headed down to the common room with Ron in his wake. Hermione was sitting in a chair by the fire reading and Ginny was on the floor tossing a yarn ball around for Crookshanks to chase. She looked up from the game when they entered.

"Harry, you don't look so good. Get enough sleep?" Ginny asked.

"I was up working...I'm fine though." Harry waited until Ron and Hermione had gone down to breakfast, then he pulled Ginny aside. "Listen Ginny...I'm going to have to-er-go away for a bit...will you be alright in my absence?" Ginny turned away, thinking things over.

"How long would it be?" she asked after a few minutes.

"I dunno...a month or two?" Ginny placed a hand over her stomach.

"The baby is due in about three months..." Harry took her hand and kissed it.

"I'll be back in time...but I need to know if you'll be alright?" She nodded solemly. "Don't worry, it'll be alright."

"And just how long do you plan to be away, Mr. Potter?" asked Professor McGonagall as Harry asked for leave that afternoon.

"I dunno...no more than one or two months."

"Well, Mr. Potter, I guess it's fine with me, but you are not excused from your N.E.W.Ts."

"I know, I'll study while I'm away."

"Where will you stay while you're searching?"

"I'll probably set up a tent or something."

"In this weather? You'd better get a magical tent with a heater in it."

"Right."

"When will you leave?"

"Today."

"Why so early?" she asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Because every second I waste is a second that Voldemort could kill another innocent person...Dumbledore would've wanted this ended soon." McGonagall fell silent at Dumbledore's name, but after a few moments she cleared her throat.

"I always knew you'd amount to something, Mr. Potter. Ever since that day Dumbledore placed you on your Aunt and Uncle's doorstep I knew that you'd be great...and now you will be...I have faith in you...Harry Potter..." Tears began to fall down her cheeks, but she smiled in spite of it. "Now what are you waiting for...go find some horcruxes!" Harry grinned and thanked her. Then he walked out of her office and made his way back to the Gryffindor common room to pack.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Sorry it's been awhile, but I haven't been typing much over break :cough: DDR and Escaflowne :cough: So yeah, here's the chapter!

CHAPTER 11

Harry sighed and dropped down onto his hotel bed. He had left Hogwarts five hours ago and already he missed it. But Harry was bound to his obligation and had to sacrifice his feelings in order to stop Voldemort. At the moment his main fear was Ginny. What if Voldemort attacked the school while he was away? Dumbledore was no longer around to protect it...And the baby...

"They'll be fine Harry, now get some sleep," he told himself angrily. He shifted in bed to a more comfortable position then drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

(Two months later at Hogwarts)

"Ok, I guess in Harry's absence I'm Captain. Now, this match will be tough, but we can do it," Ron said to his team. Ginny had been moved to Seeker and Dean was hired as a Chaser in Ginny's place. Harry had been gone for two months, and Ginny was uneasy. After all, the baby could be born any day.

"Let's kick some Slytherin ass!" Dean yelled. With that, the team made their way out onto the field. Ron stopped Ginny.

"Are you sure you can play?" he asked with concern. Ginny nodded.

"I'll be fine, don't worry." Ron clapped a hand on his little sister's shoulder, then the two made their way out onto the field. It was a fine day for early March and Quidditch conditions were excellent. Ginny and Ron mounted their brooms and kicked off into the air with the other players.

Many miles away from Hogwarts and the Qudditch pitch, Harry lay on the ground, groaning in pain. He had just destroyed the sixth horcrux, but it was not without a price. Voldemort had placed magic on them that would send out a deadly spell when destroyed. Harry had blocked the other two somehow, but he hadn't managed to block this one. Now dark blemishes were appearing all over his arm, and they were extremely painful.

"Damn you, Voldemort," Harry said through clenched teeth. But now he had to get back to Hogwarts. Voldemort, obviously, would've felt the pain from his horcruxes being destroyed, so Harry had to make it back to the safety of Hogwarts. Besides, he'd been gone longer than he had intended, and the baby..."Oh my God, Ginny!" Harry cried.

Gryffindor was up by thirty points and the total score was Slytherin fifty, Gryffindor eighty. Ginny had been dodging quite a few bludgers, for there seemed to be more than usual trying to hit her. She knew that she had to find the Snitch soon. A bludger whizzed past her, narrowly missing her head. A strange feeling was in her stomach all of a sudden and pain shot through her body. She swerved on her broom a bit, massaging her stomach. Ginny didn't need to be told what was happening; the baby was coming. Her eyes searched frantically about the field for Ron, but he was all the way at the end. He couldn't help her now, so she knew what must be done.

"If I catch the Snitch, the game will end and then I can have the baby," she muttered to herself. Another wave of pain swept through her body, telling her to hurry. Then she saw it, hovering over the Slytherin goal post. Ginny sped towards the Snitch as fast as her broom would go. The Snitch darted downward and led her on a long and difficult chase across the field. "C'mon! I'm having a baby here, cut me some slack!" she yelled angrily at it. Her head turned and she saw Malfoy, the Slytherin Seeker, right on her tail. In one last desperate effort, Ginny reached out her hand and grabbed the elusive golden ball. Then she sped towards the ground, got off her broom, and collapsed in exhaustion. She could distantly hear the announcer crying out.

"Ginny Weasley has caught the Snitch!" Luna, the announcer, cried triumphantly. "But she appears to be injured in some way. Perhaps it's a..." But Ginny didn't hear what she said over her own scream of pain. Ron and the others were instantly at her side. The Professors had run across the pitch to her, McGonagall shouting for Madame Pomfrey.

"Ginny! Hang in there sis," Ron cried. Ginny opened her eyes blearily to see many faces above her, including the pale face of her brother.

"Ron..." Ginny said weakly, but was stopped from saying anything else by another wave of pain. She gave another scream of pain, causing more cries of anxiety from those around her and those in the crowds.

"Out of the way! Move! The baby must be delivered!" Madame Pomfrey yelled, breaking her way through the crowd of people to Ginny. She began to set up her medical tools and potions around Ginny. "Alright dear, you need to listen to my voice and do exactly as I say, alright?"

"Okay," Ginnny said feebly. She could feel the child inside of her begin to make its way out. The pain was intense.

"Keep breathing...in and out...that's right..." Madame Pomfrey set up a curtain around Ginny's legs so that none of the bystanders would faint from the sight. "Alright, its coming...now push..." Ginny pushed as hard as she could, but it hurt, and the baby still wouldn't emerge. "Push harder...come on dear...you can do it...push!" Ginny wanted to scream "I am pushing!" but she couldn't get the words out. Suddenly, a warm and comforting hand gripped hers and she heard a familiar voice.

"Hang in there, Ginny," Harry said softly. She looked up at him and gave him a painful smile.

"You're...late Potter," she said through her pain. Harry smiled, and Ginny gripped his hand tighter as she gave another hard push.

"Keep it up, dear, the head's almost out," Madame Pomfrey told her. About two or so hours later, a baby girl was placed into Ginny's arms. Tears streamed down from the eyes of the parents as well as a few of the bystanders.

"Harry...meet your daughter," Ginny said, placing the squirming pink baby into Harry's arms. He looked down at his child and smiled with pride and relief. Her eyes were closed and she had practically no hair, but to Harry she was the most beautiful thing in the entire world. "Thank you, Madame Pomfrey."

"You're welcome. That is certainly a healthy baby you have there...be sure to take care of her." Madame Pomfrey looked tired, but relieved and happy all the same.

"Congratulations you two," Professor McGonagall acknowledged with a smile and a nod. "I guess we'd better get you two up to the Hospital Wing." Madame Pomfrey nodded and conjured a stretched under Ginny and the baby. Then she levitated them back up to the castle. Ron tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Well done mate. I wrote down some information about the baby." He handed Harry a sheet of paper that read:

Name of child:

Date of birth: Monday, March 4 3:16pm

Mother- Ginerva Molly Weasley

Father- Harry James Potter

Deliverer- Poppy Pomfrey

"Thanks Ron," Harry said, clapping his friend on the back.

"So what's the baby's name?" Ron asked. Harry thought for a moment.

"I'll have to ask Ginny, but how does Ariel Rose Potter sound to you?" Ron just shrugged and followed Harry up to the castle. Harry had a feeling that Ginny would agree with the name, and came to a conclusion with himself to forget the horcruxes for a bit...at least until the others were ready to hear about it.

A/N: Sorry if it was short! I dunno if I got all the stuff about child birth and labor right, but hey, I'm only 14 so how the heck should i know? But you get the idea anyway. Please tell me what you think of the name! (PS: I was born Monday, March 4 at 3:16am, in case you're wondering where that date came from :D)


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I know, it's been a while, but I had finals this week, so I haven't gotten to typing much. I am giving in and just going to name the baby Molly Potter, so I hope you like it. Enjoy!

Chapter Dedication- I dedicate this chapter to my hampster (don't laugh!) who died on January 12, 2006. RIP Hazel! 3

CHAPTER TWELVE

The rest of March went by quite smoothly. Harry and Ginny's baby, whom they decided to name Molly. Since she was still a baby, they couldn't really tell who she looked like yet. Harry had sent owls to the Weasleys and their other friends, telling them about the good news. Now that the baby was born, Harry had to concentrate on the last horcrux.

"Where is it?" Hermione asked as they discussed the horcruxes in the common room that night. Harry was pacing around while Ron and Hermione sat in thought.

Harry sighed. "I have no clue. But for some reason, I have this feeling that it's really close."

"Do you think...maybe you're the horcrux?" Ron asked, looking a bit pale. Harry shook his head.

"I don't think horcruxes can be people...but you never know." He stopped his pacing and dropped into a chair, burying his face in his hands. "Life is so stressful...I remember the good old days when all I had to worry about was Dudley picking on me...now I'm an adult with a murderous Dark Lord bent on killing me whom I either need to kill or be killed by."

"Life's grand, ain't it?" said Ron. Harry half smiled at this.

Hermione got up and stretched. "I think I'm gonna go to bed now, we have a big study session tomorrow and I want to be well rested for it. You all should do the same." Ron groaned and waved her off.

"Yeah yeah, I'm going," he muttered, getting up and heading towards the stairs. At the foot of the stairs he turned back to Harry. "You coming?" Harry shook his head.

"Nah, I'm gonna stay up a bit longer." Ron shrugged and turned to go back up the stairs. After Hermione had gone up to her dormitory, Harry gazed into the flames that were crackling in the fireplace. Had it really been just three years ago that he had talked to Sirius in the fireplace? It seemed like so long ago now. Life was just too stressful. Harry wished with all his might that this was just a bad dream, one that he would wake up from soon and find that the Wizarding world was at peace. If only it were that simple. Harry missed Sirius and Dumbledore with all his heart. They had helped him when they were alive and they had cared for him. Now they were gone, and Harry was alone once more. _Alone_. He was in this _alone_. No one could help him now. He had to do it by himself.

"Harry?" said a voice from the stairs. Harry's gaze averted from the flames to the red-headed girl with a baby in her arms, standing in the stairway with a look of deep concern on her face.

"Ginny..." Harry looked upon her painfully. He shouldn't have...he had risked Ginny's life by...if Voldemort found out...

"What's wrong?" she asked. She was dressed in a white night gown, the one Harry realized that she had been wearing on that night. The baby in her arms slept soundly, without a care in the world. The thought finally struck Harry then. Molly was _his_ baby. He felt odd thinking about it, but nonetheless. He got up and made his way across the room to her.

"Harry?" Harry put his arm around Ginny and brought his lips to hers. He found that kissing her soothed him somehow, and all the while his mouth was on hers he forgot everything. Finally, he pulled away.

"I put you and our baby in danger, my love," he said quietly, gazing into her soft brown eyes. Ginny smiled up at him and shook her head.

"No you didn't, I did. By wanting you back and by accepting your advances, I brought this upon myself." Harry's eyes burned with tears. This was all wrong...

"Ginny..." he whispered, his heart tearing. He could see her eyes shimmering with tears as well. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"We can get through this, Harry, I know we can. We've faced him before you know...you saved me from him in my first year. Have faith, we will defeat him." Harry wished he could believe her. All those times he had faced Voldemort before he had just gotten lucky, or there was someone to help him. Now there was no one. He felt Ginny's hand clasp his. "I'll fight him with you."

"No Ginny. I won't risk losing you or Molly. No, I'm in this alone."

"But Harry-"

"Listen to me. _This_ is the man who killed my parents. _This_ is the man who killed Dumbledore. _This_ is the man who took away everything that was important to me. I have to face him alone. Do you understand now, Ginny? It's going to be either me or Voldemort. '_Neither can live while the other survives._' That was the final line of the prophesy. Please, protect Molly...this is my battle." The two were silent for a while. Ginny looked down at the tiny being in her arms and sighed.

"If that's what you want, I can only accept it," she said quietly. Harry put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry. I've only got one more horcrux...I'd say we've got a good chance of winning this battle. And once it's over, we can get married...settle down and raise a family. Our world will be one of peace and happiness once Voldemort's gone. It'll turn out alright, I promise. Now go get some sleep, you'll need it for tomorrow." Ginny nodded, and with one final kiss she and the baby retreated back to their dormitory. Harry then made his way up to his own dorm. Loud snores told him that Ron was out already. Sighing, he dropped down onto his four-poster. Could he keep the promise he made to Ginny? Slowly, he drifted off into an uneasy sleep, filled with dreams of woe and destruction

A/N: This was too short but I needed to put a chapter up. Hope you liked it! PS: The reason I didn't give the name Lily to their daughter is because pretty much every other fanfic uses that name, so I wanted something a bit different.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I haven't felt like typing anything for a while now, so that's why I haven't updated. Sorry to keep you waiting! Oh yeah, this chapter is gonna end up being short, so I'm real sorry bout that too!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"You have disappointed me, Malfoy," a cold voice said to the blonde-haired youth bowing before him. The teenager looked up with fear at the hooded man he was bowing before.

"Please, my Lord, please forgive me!" he cried. The man gave a cruel laughed and stood up. He pulled back his hood, revealing a skeletal face and red snake-like eyes. Still cackling, the cruel man raised his wand.

"Pay for your disobedience, you worm. _Crucio_!" he yelled, pointing his wand at him. The teenager screamed and writhed on the ground in pain as his Lord tortured him. Finally, the man lifted his wand. "You won't be in such a hurry to disappoint me again, will you now?"

"N-never again m-my L-Lord," the boy said weakly.

"Very good. Now, tell me the information that you have brought." He walked over and pulled the boy to his feet forcefully.

"My Lord, Harry Potter now has a child. The blood traitor Ginny Weasley gave birth to it about a month ago." Voldemort laughed again.

"So, Harry Potter has finally found_ love_. He should have known that I would have found out sooner or later. And a baby now too? That should make it even more fun." Voldemort walked over to a crystal ball that sat on a stand in the middle of the room. He placed his bony hand on it and a picture began to form in it. It was a sixteen-year-old girl with long red hair, smiling down at a baby in her arms. "She's a pretty one. Such a pity." Cackling, he removed his hand from the crystal ball and turned back to Malfoy, who immediately bowed.

"What will you have me do, my Lord?" he asked. Voldemort twisted his wand in his fingers.

"It will be your job to get me into Hogwarts. With no Dumbledore around it should be easy. I am going to rid the world of Harry Potter once and for all. But while we're at it, why don't we just kill his entire family too." Chuckling, he watched three mice scamper across the room. "Yes, it will be simple. We'll kill them all one-by-one." As he said these last three words, he shot the three mice with his wand, killing them all. "Harry Potter has stood in my way for to long. Now, I will break him. He's already destroyed six of my horcruxes, but the last one remains safely at Hogwarts. Guard it!"

"Yes master, I will never disobey you again," Malfoy said, getting on his knees and kissing the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"Your father was a disappointment. He got himself locked in Azkaban. No matter, I have plenty more Death Eaters who will do my bidding without failure. And now, Malfoy, return to that wretched school. Be ready in one week, that's all you have."

"Yes, my Lord," he said, bowing and exiting the room. When he was gone, Voldemort looked out the window of his hideout (if that's what you want to call it).

"Your doom is near, Potter. So help me, I'll make you pay for getting in my way."

A/N: I'd tell you how sorry I am for making so many short chapters, but it'd take too long. Please forgive me:bows:


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Now you don't think I'd just forget about Tonks, did you? No way! She's my second favorite character next to Ginny :-) So yes, Tonks will return in this chapter, though I'll warn you it may not be very happy. Also, I'm thinking about drawing this fic to a close soon, maybe next chapter, it all depends. Please let me know if you're unhappy with this, and I'll try my best to do something about it. Anyway, here it is! (please forgive any misspellings of the curses, I'm too lazy to look them up :D )

WARNING: This chapter contains a bit of sadness so if your very sensitive I'd have a box of tissues close at hand!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Tonks whistled happily as she tended to the Narmolingwes. They were being kept in a large paddock near Hagrid's hut. Just one more month of teaching, then she could go home to Remus. She smiled as she thought of her husband. Even though he was thirteen years older than her, Tonks loved Remus more than anything. Maybe, just maybe, after the war was over they could start a family. She led the Narmolingwe pup back to its mother, who was the size of a horse, sighed, and looked up at the sky.

"Will this war ever end?" she wondered aloud. A twig snapped nearby, causing Tonks to whirl around in alarm. "Who's there?" she questioned bravely, her hand slowly reaching down for her wand. A tall boy with blonde hair stepped out from the woods, his pale face looking almost skeletal in the moonlight.

"Good evening, my _dearest cousin_," Draco Malfoy said in a cold voice, a smirk playing at his lips. Tonks glared dangerously at her cousin.

"You shouldn't be out here in times like these_, Draco_," she bit out in tones of cold sarcasm, her wand at the ready, "after all, you certainly wouldn't want to be put under the Imperius curse again now, would you?" Now it was Malfoy's turn to glare.

"A filthy Mudblood like yourself has no right to speak to me in such tones."

"Well you certainly aren't worth the effort of respectful words."

"Indeed? My whole family deserves respect from filth like yourself."

"We do, huh? Well here's what I think of your family!" And with that she spat on the ground at Malfoy's feet. That had definetely hit a nerve. Malfoy raised his wand in fury.

"_Crucio_!" he yelled. Tonks fell to the ground, screaming in pure agony. After a few minutes, Malfoy lifted the curse. "I had forgotton how fun it was to torture those of impudence. Maybe we should try again?" Tonks looked weakly up at Malfoy and saw the mad glint in his cold grey eyes. Before he could lift his wand again, Tonks grabbed hers.

"_Expelliarmus_!" she shouted. Malfoy was blown backwards and slammed into a tree by the impact of the blast.

"You little bitch!" He shot a spell at Tonks, but she dodged.

"_Stupefy_!" The spell slashed Malfoy in the arm, causing him to cry out in pain and anger.

"_Stupefy_!" Tonks was also slashed, this time in the side. The two continued to shoot spells back and forth, until both were bloody and weak.

"I'll never give up," Tonks panted, "you're bastards! The whole lot of you!"

"_Petrificus Totalus_!" By a stroke of misfortune, she didn't have the strength to dodge, and her body immediately went rigid. Malfoy grinned in triumph, then made his way over to his cousin. "You see? There's no way you all are gonna win against us. Evil will always triumph!" He pointed his wand at Tonks' mouth and it was able to move again. Then he took a small phial out of his pocket, opened it, and poured a few drops into her mouth. It went down the throat, despite Tonks' attempts to resist it. "Now, what is your name?"

"Nymphadora Lupin," she answered in a monotonous voice.

"Who is your husband?"

"Remus John Lupin." Malfoy grinned. The Veritaserum was working.

"Tell me, is there any way for Dark wizards to enter Hogwarts unnoticed?" Tonks was silent. "Answer me!"

"I do not know," she said finally.

"Are there any secret ways to get into Hogwarts then?" Another pause. Then-

"Yes."

"Tell me!"

"There's...a passageway...from the cellar of Honeydukes into Hogwarts itself. I think...I think it's still there."

"Would Dark wizards be able to use it to get into Hogwarts?"

"Yes, possibly."

"Then why the hell would they lead it open?"

"So that those of us who need to travel back and forth can use it." That was what he needed. He had found a way into Hogwarts at last. Smirking, he stood up and pointed his wand at Tonks.

"I have what I came for now, so there's really no reason to let you live. After all, you'd just go and spill it that I'm still working for the Dark Lord." He stood there with his wand pointed at her. Well, what am I waiting for? Why can't I just kill her? he asked himself furiously. Malfoy looked up the immobilized girl lying upon the ground, her pale hair looking very ghost like in the moonlight. Then came the flashbacks. Flashbacks from so long ago.

"_Mummy! Mummy look what I found!" exclaimed a five-year-old Draco, rushing up to his mother in the garden behind their mansion. He was holding up a baby bunny that he had found all alone in an abandoned rabbits' nest. "Can I keep it, mum? Can I? Can I?"_

"_Oh Draco, how many times must mummy tell you? You must leave wild animals be!" his mother sighed._

"_But-but if I left it there it would've died!" Draco said. Narcissa gave her son a sad smile and took the baby rabbit from him._

"_Draco, dying is inevitable, meaning it is bound to happen any day. We may not like it, but it has to happen. Imagine what the world would be like if nothing died. What do you think it would look like?" Draco thought for a while._

"_Wouldn't everybody be happy?" Narcissa shook her head._

"_No they wouldn't, Draco. The world would be so crowded that no one would be able to move. That is why we must accept death when it comes for us." The woman looked at the sadness in her son's eyes and sighed. "Go find a box." Draco looked up questioningly at his mother. She smiled down at him. "Well, the poor creature will need some place to sleep during his stay here."_

Draco looked back on this memory fondly. Had there really been a time when he had been so kind and caring? And his mother, she cared about him so much. What had happened? Why had he turned out like this? Then, he remembered why. His father.

"_Draco, bring that creature in here now," demanded Lucius Malfoy. Draco came in, holding his precious pet in his arms. It had been about two months since he took in the baby rabbit and it had grown considerably. _

"_Daddy, look at how big Bubbles is getting!" he said happily. His father merely scowled._

"_Today, Draco, I am going to teach you something very important," Lucius said to his son. The man lifted up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing a tattoo of a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. Then he explained to Draco all about the Death Eaters. "Some day, my son, you will become one too, and together with me we will cleanse the world of its filth. Now, give me that wretched creature!" He yanked the rabbit from Draco's caring arms and held it by the scruff._

"_Daddy! Daddy what're you gonna do with Bubbles?" Draco asked anxiously. Lucius smiled coldly at his son._

"_Lesson one: the killing curse."_

"_NO! DADDY PLEASE NO!" Draco screamed in protest, but all was in vain. _

_Lucius pointed his wand at the struggling creature and shouted "AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

"_NOOOOOOOOO!" Draco's screams filled the air as his pet was dropped to the ground, dead. He too dropped to the floor, sobbing. _

"_You need to learn to get over it Draco. It was only a rabbit. Control yourself!" Lucius commanded. Draco looked up at his father, his eyes brimming with tears and hatred._

"_WHY D-DADDY? WHY? HE D-D-DIDN'T DO ANYTHING T-TO YOU! YOU K-KILLED H-HIM! HE-HE WAS S-SO HELPLESS!" Lucius smacked Draco across the face._

"_Enough! Death Eaters do not mourn the fallen. Dry your eyes and get out of my sight. And be sure to dispose of that wretched creature too." Malfoy senior turned his back on his sobbing son and walked out of the room. Draco looked through his tears at the limp body of his pet...no his friend. Bubbles had been his first and only friend. And now, he was gone, just like that. He took the dead animal in his arms and cradled it, tears falling from his face onto its cold furry body._

"_I couldn't save you this time, Bubbles. I saved you before, but now...now you're gone!" He broke into more sobs and clutched the body tighter. It was no longer warm and full of life but cold, very cold. "I promise, Bubbles, I promise I'll never kill anything."_

_Later that day, he stood on the small hill near the garden over a patch of freshly dug earth where he had buried his dead friend. It was that day, that very day, that Draco Malfoy's heart had turned to ice._

"It was so long ago, yet I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday," he sighed. He looked back upon his lifeless cousin and was reminded of the lifeless form of Bubbles, his only friend. He had felt this pain before...as he stood before Dumbledore, ready to kill him, this was the pain that stayed his hand. Draco couldn't kill...he wouldn't kill. But he couldn't let Tonks spread the word. Sighing, he pointed his wand at her and shouted "Obliviate!" That should keep her from talking. With that, he made his way back to the castle, still burdened by his painful memories.

A/N: This chapter was painful for me to write, both physically and mentally. Mentally because I love animals so much and hate it when they die, physically cuz my wrist is starting to hurt from typing too much . I do hope this was long enough to make up for the last chapter. And as for the whole Malfoy thing, it was just an idea that I had that might clear a few things up. If you're a Draco Malfoy hater, I'm sorry!


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Don't worry, this isn't the last chapter. I'm thinking that the next chapter will be the last one. I dunno, it all depends. Anyway, please enjoy!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Her memory was obliviated?" Harry asked Madame Pomfrey incredulously. The nurse nodded sadly.

"Hopefully we can break the memory charm and find out who did it to her. Poor dear, as if she didn't have enough troubles already." Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all sat by Tonks' bed in the Hospital Wing. The Animorphagus was unconcious, but still they had insisted on visiting her. Hagrid had found her body hours after she had been attacked and immediately carried her up to the castle.

"Poor Tonks, I hope the memory charm wasn't too powerful," Hermione sighed. Ron put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, if anyone can do it, McGonagall probably can," he said reassuringly. Harry frowned. Why would someone want to obliviate her memory? Obviously she knew something that the person didn't want anyone else to know about, but why not just kill her? It was a mystery.

"You better be right about this, Malfoy," Voldemort said coldly as they and about four other Death Eaters made their way through Hogsmeade towards the secret passageway. Malfoy just nodded and avoided his master's eyes. After all, he still hurt from when Voldemort had found out that he had let Tonks live. The village was deserted, for they had killed or scared away the inhabitants. A doll lay in the middle of the street. Voldemort grinned evilly as a little girl cautiously made her way out to retrieve it.

Malfoy knew what was coming, and before he could stop himself, he shouted "Look out!" It was, however, too late.

"Avada Kedavra!" The green jet of light struck the little girl in the chest, and she fell back onto the ground, dead. Then Voldemort rounded on Malfoy. "What were you thinking, fool?" He yelled, pushing Malfoy to the ground. "You're lucky I don't kill you too. Get up and keep walking!"

"Y-yes, my Lord," Malfoy muttered, getting up and continuing on. The group reached Honeydukes and blasted the door down. Then they filed in and made their way down to the cellar.

Meanwhile, Harry was laying his daughter down to sleep in her crib. She gurgled a bit as she was laid down, but continued her slumber.

"Good night Molly," he whispered, kissing her softly on the cheek. After gently putting a blanket over her small body, he made his way over to the window. The Forbidden Forest gleamed in the moonlight, almost like a sea. "I've never seen the sea before...maybe, when you're older, I'll take you and mummy there," Harry said quietly to his sleeping daughter. He reached out and took her small hand in his. "We'll build sand castles, swim in the ocean, and perhaps we can learn how to fish too. It'll all be over soon, Molly, then we can." A white shape bounded out of the forest, drawing Harry's attention. He knew what it was, so he immediately got up and made his way outside.

Ginny, in her animagus form, had been searching the Forbidden Forest that night for clues of Tonks' attacker. Having found none, she made her way out of the forest and over to Hagrid's. The Narmolingwes, now being cared for by Hagrid, greeted her with soft growls. Ginny stuck her head through the paddock and touched her nose to the mother Narmolingwe's nose.

"Greetings, friend," the Narmolingwe said in a soft, growling tone.

"Good evening, Sola (So-luh). How are you and Salea (Sah-lay)?" Ginny asked.

"Just fine. It's a shame what happened to the woman who cared for us though," Sola explained with a heavy sigh.

"You saw what happened, didn't you?"

"Aye. Damn human, he snuck up on her. Tried to harm her I believe. If I wasn't bound here by magic I would've ripped out his filthy black innards." Sola clawed angrily at the ground, leaving marks as wide as a broom handle.

"The boy, what did he look like?" Ginny questioned, trying to keep her friend calm.

"Pale face, blonde hair. He poured some potion in her mouth once her body had been trapped. Then he began to question her."

"Oh no, Veritaserum!" the animagus gasped.

"That what it was? You wizard-folk have very intriguing creations, but this one seemed most foul. What does it do?"

"It's a truth potion. A few drops and you're forced to answer any question...Malfoy! It was him! He must've used it to question her about a way to get into Hogwarts!"

"The bastard. I ought to claw him to pieces for this," Sola growled in anger. Ginny began to pace back and forth.

"This is bad...Malfoy has probably told Voldemort and all the other Death Eaters about the secret passageway...and if they get in..."

"Calm down, Ginny. Surely there must be some way to stop them?"

Ginny shook her head in despair. "They're murderers...they'll kill all in their path without remorse." The animagus lifted her nose up and sniffed the air. A familiar scent was there. "I know that scent..." Her ears perked up and she turned around to see a shaggy black wolf making its way across the grounds to her. "Harry!"

"Hey Ginny," he said with a lopsided grin, his emerald eyes gleaming in the night. "Any luck?"

"Sadly, yes. Sola told me that Malfoy was behind it." Harry growled fiercely.

"Damnit, I'll get him for this." Ginny nuzzled him affectionately in order to calm him down a bit.

"She also says that he forced Veritaserum on Tonks and found out how to get into Hogwarts," she explained rather quietly. Harry tensed and looked at her seriously.

"Ginny...this means he's gonna try and get in very soon...he's coming for me." Ginny's eyes filled with fear.

"He'll come for Molly and I as well...we are your family after all." Harry nodded and turned away.

"We have to go now, Ginny...now, before he strikes. We have to warn McGonagall and the others. C'mon, there's no time to lose!" With that, Harry bounded off towards the school.

"Can you break the charm binding us here? I'm sure we could be of some help defending the school," Sola suggested to Ginny. Ginny nodded, then turned back into a human. Drawing her wand, she managed to un-do the charm. Sola and Salea leapt over the fence and followed Ginny, who turned back to a wolf, up to the school.

Meanwhile, Harry had reached McGonagall's office and was clawing frantically at the door. C'mon, hurry! he thought desperately.

"What on earth...?" McGonagall said to herself, opening the door for the desperate animagus. Harry changed back quickly before she saw him, so as to avoid questioning. "Potter? Explain yourself!" The teenager took a moment to catch his breath, then explained his story to the Headmistress.

"Voldemort's coming...he's going to use the passageway from Honeydukes cellar to inside the school. Please, we have to get ready now!" McGonagall sighed and massaged her forehead.

"I knew something like this would happen...it was inevitable from the moment Dumbledore was killed. Potter, send owls to the Order immediately while I rowse the teachers. Oh yes, and hide Ginny and Molly, for they're sure to be the first of his many targets besides you." Harry nodded, then sped off towards the Owlery.

Ginny rode on Sola's back in human form as the threesome made their way to the Gryffindor common room as if the devil were on their heels.

"Turn right!" Ginny instructed the Narmolingwe and her daughter. As the portrait hole came into view, Ginny hopped off and ran up to it. "Wingledum."

"Precisely," the Fat Lady answered to the password, swinging foreward to admit her entrance. Ginny wasted no time and quickly scrambled inside. She was met by Hermione, who was standing in the common room. As she got closer, she could see that she was rocking Molly, who had probably been crying earlier. Seeing the look upon Ginny's face, Hermione immediately became worried.

"What happened Ginny?" she asked quietly. Ginny took a second to catch her breath, then explained everything.

"Voldemort's coming soon, we have to alert everyone!" Hermione nodded, handed her the baby, then made her way up to the girls' dorm to wake everyone. Ginny looked down at her sleeping child and found that her eyes were burning with tears. She held her baby to her bosom and let the tears fall down her face and onto the floor, praying that they would all get through this ok.

A/N: I lied, next chapter isn't the last. I'm not sure how many more chapters I'll make, but right now my guess is about two. This really turned out to be more of an action/adventure story and less of a romance/general, which I think are the genres I chose. Oh well, it's been fun writing this all the same, and I appreciate each and every one of you're reviews so much. Arigato, and please keep them coming:D


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Here we go: THE PENULTIMATE CHAPTER! eehhhh I think so anyway...oh well, it probly will be. Please enjoy everybody : )

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"Harry!" Ginny called as she descended the stairs, Molly in her arms and fear in her eyes. Harry quickly made his way over to her and grabbed her by the arm.

"C'mon Ginny, you have to get to safety!" he said frantically, pulling her along through the hallways. "The trophy room should be the safest, they won't look there." Ginny struggled to keep up with his strenuous pace, which is rather hard to do if you're holding a sleeping baby and scared out of your wits.

"But-Harry I want to help you fight!" Harry stopped and looked at her. She was panting from running, and fear was etched onto her face. Sighing, he took her by the shoulders and kissed her. Ginny staggered a bit from surprise, but closed her eyes and deepened the kiss. She could feel all of Harry's fear, love, and anxiety from that one kiss. What really frightened her though was he was kissing her as though he never would again. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they broke their kiss.

"You can't come with me Ginny, not this time," Harry whispered, pulling the girl he loved to his chest in a tight yet loving embrace. Ginny felt tears fall down her face once more. It was now that she finally understood: this was his battle, and no one else's. He had to face Voldemort alone, and she couldn't help. The young mother looked up and directly into his eyes. They were such a beautiful green, yet she could see that they were full of pain and indecision. _He's only seventeen, yet he's suffered so much_, she thought to herself.

"I understand Harry," she said finally, "please...be careful." He opened the door to the trophy room and escorted them in.

"Stay in here, and if anyone tries to break in use your wand," Harry instructed, "remember Ginny, no matter what happens, you must take care of Molly. Even if I am to die today, you and her at least must go on living. Please, look after her and yourself." Giving her and the baby one last kiss, he sprinted out of the room and down the hallway. Ginny stood there for a moment, looking after him.

"I love you Harry...please be alright," she whispered.

Meanwhile, the battle had already begun. Voldemort and the Death Eaters had broken through the passageway into Hogwarts and were now battling the teachers and students who were fighting them back. So far, no one had died, but many were injured. Luckily, they had managed to surprise attack so quite a few of the Death Eaters were stunned.

"Fools!" yelled Voldemort as he brandished his wand. Pointing it at Professor Vector, he shouted "_Avada Kedavra_!" The teacher barely had time to scream before her life left her. "Take care of the rest, I must find Potter," Voldemort instructed to his Death Eaters. "Malfoy, come with me!"

"Yes my Lord," he answered, disturbed by the death of the teacher. _She helped me with an Arithmancy problem once_, he thought to himself, a pang of sadness shooting through him. The two slipped out of the battle and made their way through the castle.

"Come out, come out wherever you are, Harry!" Voldemort yelled in a laughing voice.

Harry sped down yet another hallway, past the Transfiguration classroom, past the third floor corridor where a three-headed dog was once kept, and past a group of ghosts, who were talking in panicked voices.

"Harry!" Nearly-Headless Nick called, dispatching himself from the group. Harry stopped and turned to him.

"Nick...where-is-every-body?" Harry panted.

"They're fighting off the Death Eaters. We ghosts are trying to form a plan to help. Are you off to join them?" The ghost's severed head wobbled threateningly on his shoulders. He seemed to be excited, or fearful.

"I need to find Voldemort...and kill him," Harry explained to the Gryffindor ghost. Nick nodded grimly, his head almost toppling down.

"Good luck to you sir," he said. Harry nodded back to him, and without another word he took off down the hall.

Harry finally wound up in the Great Hall. It was quiet and deserted. All the students must be hiding in their dormitories, Harry thought to himself. He drew his wand and looked around, alert and ready. _Where are you, Voldemort? Why don't you show yourself?_ A door at the far end of the hall opened, and someone stumbled in. That someone had blonde hair and a pale, pointed face. Cursing, he stood up and faced Harry.

"Malfoy!" Harry yelled coldly.

"Potter," he answered in a choked whisper, "what are you doing here?" Harry stood his ground, looking with hatred upon this cruel boy whom he loathed.

"I could ask the same, you dirty lying bastard," he spat, pointing his wand at Malfoy. The blonde youth just smirked.

"You better run, Potter, the Dark Lord's after you. In fact, he should be here to rid the world of you soon."

"Yeah, well too bad you won't be conscious to see your Lord's demise." Malfoy threw back his head and laughed.

"Do you honestly think that you could stop a Dark Lord as great as him?"

"Maybe not, but it's better than following his ways out of fear like the Death Eaters. That's right, Malfoy, the only reason they follow him is because they fear him. Well I'm not like you, so stay out of my way."

"Shut up, you-" but he was cut off by a cold voice that's source had just walked into the room.

"Now now, Malfoy, you mustn't speak to 'the Chosen One' like that," Voldemort jeered, walking over next to Malfoy, who immediately dropped to his knees.

"M-my Lord...please f-forgive my r-rudeness," he said, his voice no longer smug and taunting but high and fearful. Voldemort pushed him roughly to the ground.

"Stay silent, it suits you better...ahh yes, the Great Hall. My my my, it's been so long since I've set foot in here." The sinister man gazed around the room. "I wonder if the burn mark I put in our table is still there...ah yes, it is. Those were such _wonderful _times. Now then, back to the present..." His red eyes turned upon Harry, who was glaring at him from across the hall. "I see you've saved me the trouble of coming to find you. Excellent. Tell me, was it out of fear or defeat that drew you out of hiding?"

"I'm not afraid of you," Harry snarled, clenching his wand tighter in his hand. Voldemort laughed his cold and menacing laugh at these words.

"Harry, Harry, Harry, of course you fear me. Do you know why? Because I am fear itself." His thin fingers reached into his pocket and drew out his wand. "And now, it is time to play." Voldemort's eyes began to travel around the room and he chuckled to himself. "Yet I don't think this is the place to fight. Why don't we go find your darling Ginny?" Harry felt a familiar feeling in his head and realized that Voldemort was using Legilimency against him to find out where Ginny was.

"NO!" Harry yelled as Voldemort found out her location. Voldemort grinned.

"I see you still havn't been practicing Occlumency, Harry. Tsk tsk, it could've saved you and your family. No matter." He waved his wand and immediately he, Harry, and Malfoy were all surrounded by light. When the light vanished, they found themselves in the trophy room. Harry searched the room frantically for Ginny, but couldn't find her.

"You bastard," he spat at Voldemort, who merely laughed and began to walk around the room.

"Ahh, so many memories. Oh look, here's an award for your father Harry. 'Quidditch Seeker?' Hmm you must've inherited it. Ah yes, and your filthy Mudblood mother, she got an award for 'Outstanding Performance in School.' And finally, 'Award for Special Services to the School.'" Voldemort brushed his finger against the plaque and chuckled evilly again. "You might've been able to destroy six of my horcruxes, but as long as the seventh remains intact, I am invincible!" Suddenly, Harry heard a familiar voice scream out a familiar spell, and before Voldemort could react he was being attacked by Bat Bogeys.

"Harry!" Ginny cried, throwing her arms around him.

"Where's Molly?" Harry asked, pushing her behind him and grinning with amusement as Voldemort stuggled to fight off the Bat Bogeys.

"Don't worry, she's safe," she answered quietly. Harry began to think frantically. Where was the last horcrux? He had to find it soon, otherwise they'd all be done for. Suddenly, Malfoy spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Harry," he said. Harry blinked at the sudden words from Malfoy, and looked over at him. He was slowly rising to his feet, a look of earnest in his eyes. "I'm sorry for everything...all those years I taunted you...hurt you...but not anymore. It'll all end here...please Harry, will you forgive me?" Harry looked at Ginny. She just shrugged as though saying "It's your decision." He then turned back to Malfoy. This was the boy whom he had loathed ever since they had first met, and now he was asking for forgiveness? Sighing, Harry came carefully to conclusion.

"I forgive you, Malfoy," he said slowly. Malfoy smiled, but it wasn't a malicious smile, or a sneer. It was a happy smile, a thankful one. Slowly, he drew his wand, causing Harry to tense.

"_Accio Horcrux_!" he shouted. Harry gasped as the plaque zoomed towards him. Malfoy caught it and threw it to Harry. "That's the last horcrux. Destroy it, before-"

"NO!" shouted Voldemort. Harry realized that he had just finished fighting off the Bat Bogeys and now had his wand pointed straight at Harry. "I will kill you, Potter! You will die just as your parents did!" But before he could shout any spell, Malfoy stepped between him and Harry.

"Kill me first," he said. Voldemort looked shocked at first, but then burst into cruel laughter.

"Why the sudden urge to die, Draco?" he sneered. Malfoy grinned, and turned his head back at Harry and Ginny.

"Because I'm the one who deserves to. True, I told myself long ago that I'd never kill, but I ended up doing things just as bad as killing. For all those things that I've done, I deserve to die. Harry, destroy it now!" Harry nodded and pointed his wand at the horcrux.

"_Reducto_!" he shouted.

"NO! _AVADA KEDAVRA_!" Voldemort screamed. The jet of light erupted from his wand and hit-

"Malfoy!" cried Ginny as the boy's body crumpled to the floor. Harry screamed in pain and dropped to the ground, clutching his ring finger. The horcrux was on the ground in pieces. Harry's own screams, however, were drowned out by the screams of Voldemort. His body was slowly being ripped apart, causing him to scream in agony.

"NOOO! POTTER!" Ginny turned away from the ugly sight, and instead looked down at Harry's wound. She gasped as she realized that Harry's finger had been melted from when he destroyed the horcrux. Blood was down gushing down his hand, and he clutched it in pain. Finally, all the screaming stopped and there was a blast of light that shattered the glass in the trophy room. Lord Voldemort was now gone from the world forever.

"We-did it-Ginny," Harry said, his words labored by pain. Ginny nodded and put her forehead on his shoulder.

"It's hard to believe...that it's all over...and that we're still alive," she whispered. Harry nodded, then moved himself over to Malfoy's lifeless body.

"He died nobly...I never would've thought that from Malfoy. Why do you reckon he chose to save us?"

"I don't know, but we can't stay here, Harry. We've got to get you to the Hospital Wing." Harry looked back at Malfoy and shook his head.

"I can't leave him...he saved our lives."

"We've got to stop the bleeding or you could bleed to death. C'mon Harry, we'll carry Malfoy with us." Harry grabbed Malfoy's body and slung it over his shoulder. Ginny went and retrieved Molly from her hiding place, then together they made their way out of the trophy room and to the others.

A/N: Okay, next chapter is the epilogue. I think I might've been a bit quick on Voldemort's demise, but hey, I'm not J.K. Rowling so I'm only using guesswork. But anyway, I'll try and get the final chapter up soon. PS: HARRY POTTER 4 COMES OUT ON DVD MARCH 7! At least, I think it does, I'm pretty sure, but oh well, I'm so excited:D


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Ok, last chapter guys! Before I start, I want to point out a few errors I made in the story: ok, the whole horcrux thing was screwed up cuz I just finished reading the sixth book for the third time last week and found out that one horcrux was in Voldemort's body, so he would have to be killed in he was to die completely. Also, I forgot that the diary and the ring were horcruxes and had already been destroyed. So yeah, I'm sorry bout those mistakes. Anyway, please enjoy!

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"So, what d'you think?" Harry asked as he and Ginny entered their new house. It had been two years since Harry had vanquished the Dark Lord, and now he and Ginny were out of school and happily married. Even though Harry was now even more famous than he was before, maybe the most famous in all of Wizarding history, he wanted to live a simple life. To do this, he, Ginny, Molly, and their new baby, Sirius, all moved out to the country and built a house next door to the Burrow.

"Wow, I think you've outdone yourself dear," Ginny remarked, looking around the kitchen in amazement.

"I tried to base it off the Burrow as much as I could," he said, shrugging modestly and setting Molly down so that she could crawl around in the living room. Ginny followed and set baby Sirius down as well. The dark-haired little boy gazed around at his new surroundings and began to crawl over to his sister. Molly, now two and a half years old, was beginning to look just like her mother. She had short red hair and freckles, just like all the other Weasleys, though she had inherited the startling green eyes from her father.

"Ron and Hermione are coming over soon, they said they have great news." Harry and his wife exchanged smirks. Hermione and Ron had a double-wedding with he and Ginny after they dated for a year.

"I'm pretty sure I know what the good news is already," Harry laughed, speaking for both of them. There was a knock on the door, so Harry answered it. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Fleur, and their daughter Louise, Fred, George, Lupin, Tonks, and their son William, Hermione, Ron, and Charlie all entered the house.

"Harry, it looks wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley said happily, embracing her son-in-law.

"Yeah, you did a great job," Ron agreed, looking around the house.

"Did you get the money to build this from the Ministry?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Some, but the rest we put in the bank...just in case," Harry said, casting a glance at the two children on the floor. Ginny smiled and hugged her husband.

"Voldemort's gone now, so I don't think anything will happen to us." Harry returned the smile grimly.

"Well, everyone thought he was gone once too, didn't they? How can we be sure that he's gone for good?"

"That's a good point Harry," said Lupin, depositing his son into his wife's arms and turning to Harry "but I really think he's gone for good this time. After all, the Death Eaters are coming quietly now and the dementors have come back to Ministry control."

"Oh yes, we have good news everyone!" Hermione spoke up suddenly, her eyes shining. Harry and Ginny grinned at each other. They knew what was coming. "I'm going to have a baby!" The room soon broke out into congratulations to both Ron and Hermione. Fred and George laughed and patted him on the back.

"We knew you had it in you Ron!"

"Yeah, never doubted you for a minute!"

"No, we did that one time...you know, when a week after their wedding they still hadn't-"

"So what gender are you hoping for?" Tonks asked, interrupting George.

"Boy," Ron said as Hermione said "Girl." The two glared at each other for a minute, until the subject was changed yet again.

"Did you hear that they're going to start junior Quidditch leagues?" Bill asked as he played with his daughter, niece, and nephew.

"We'll have to send Molly to one," said Harry, grinning as his daughter played with a small plastic broomstick on the floor.

"What d'you say we get some refreshments?" Ron suggested, waving his wand and conjuring up a dozen bottles of butterbeer.

"Cheers," said Charlie, taking a bottle. Everyone else followed suit. Harry looked around for Ginny, but couldn't find her. Leaving the room, he began to search around the house for her. Finally, he found her standing on the balcony outside their room. Her long red hair was blowing in the wind and she was looking out into the distance.

"Ginny?" he asked as he stepped out onto the balcony. She turned to him and smiled.

"I was just thinking...it's rather hard to believe that Voldemort's gone...I really feel as though he's not gone for good though." Harry smiled and put his arms around her waist.

"There's no way he can come back, I've destroyed all the horcruxes," he whispered, resting his chin on her head.

"I know...d'you think we can all live a quiet life now?" Harry laughed.

"Me live a quiet life? I wouldn't count on it!" Ginny smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Ginny. After my Auror training I'll be ready to take on anything. We'll live on, guarded from above by those who love us." He lifted his head up and looked out into the sunset. There, he could see the ghostly figures of his mom, dad, Sirius, and Dumbledore all grinning and waving to him. Smiling, he raised his hand and waved back to them.

"Live on, Harry," Dumbledore's ghost whispered, its voice sounding as though it was coming from far away.

"We're always with you, darling," said Lily Potter.

"And we're proud of you," her husband said.

"Good luck, Harry," laughed Sirius, giving him the thumbs up. The four figures then began to fade away into the light of the sunset.

"Good-bye," Harry whispered. Taking Ginny's hand, he led her back inside, happy that life could finally be peaceful once more.

THE END

A/N: Was that a good ending? I hope it was. Ok, here's the deal: I may not start it for a while, but I will make a sequel. It will concern Harry's daughter (Molly) and the rise of a new evil (oh no!) Is Voldemort back :gasps: Maybe, maybe not, you'll just have to wait and read :) Thanks everyone for your support, and I'm terribly sorry if the ending sucked and all the mistakes I made. Please R&R my other fanfics too!


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